Forgotten Memories (Revolving Worlds Series 1)
by Maxstori
Summary: Marinette finally confesses to Adrien, but he rejects her and the worst happens: she is akumatized! How will Adrien purify Marinette? What will happen after she is de-akumatized - will she even remember what had happened? And what about Hawkmoth, who had gotten a peek at Ladybug's mind? Will he change tactics now that he knows how the heroes have always stopped him?
1. A Broken Heart

_Hello! This is all very new to me. I've written regular novels and stories before, but this is the first time I've ever tried my hand at a fanfiction. This uses the characters, settings, and some of the plot from Miraculous Ladybug series; I, by no means, own anything of the Miraculous Ladybug universe (sadly enough). I love this cartoon series so much I couldn't help but write a fanfic, and the friends who have read it told me I should post it, so... here it is! *fidgets nervously*_

 _Please, feel free to comment and review it! If you have any suggestions, feel free to send them my way. I may try to incorporate some into this 'side-series' I have planned. :)_

* * *

Episode One: Lady Heartless

Part One

Marinette tripped on the doorframe as she rushed out of the bakery, yelling behind her, "I love you, Mom! See you later!"

"Be careful on your way to school!" her mother called back in her usual cheerful voice.

Marinette grinned, rushing through the streets of Paris to barely make it in time to her class before the bells rang out the start of the school day. Despite the year that had passed since she had started high school, she still found herself rushing out the door of her home more often than not.

Adrien gave her a friendly smile that warmed her insides and sent her stomach into performing acrobatics. She grinned back, waving slightly as she collapsed in the seat behind him, fighting back a wistful sigh.

"Careful, girl," her best friend, Alya, whispered to her. "You're about to start drooling again."

Quickly, Marinette swiped at her mouth, checking to make sure that wasn't the case. Her mouth was clear. She glanced at her friend in gratitude, knowing she would have been mortified if Adrien had noticed her complete adoration of him.

At the end of the day, Marinette clenched her fists, determined to follow out her plan she had concocted the night before. "I'm going to do it!" she said aloud.

Alya raised an eyebrow, amused. "Do what?"

"I'm going to tell Adrien how I feel!"

Alya rolled her eyes, and Marinette already knew what she would say; it's not like this was the first time she had tried doing something like this, after all. However, this time, she felt as if it will work.

Chloe happened to take this moment to stroll by. She scoffed at Marinette's statement, picking at her fingernails in feigned indifference. "As if. You do realize you're not more than just a wallflower to him, right? Just a spot on the wall when he walks by. He won't even notice you." With this, she flounced off, her little lackey Sabrina trailing after her with both of their schoolbags.

Marinette barely even spared the mean girl a glance before confidently striding forward. Alya followed, a bit startled at her reaction. "Whoa, I know it's best to ignore her, but you must be pretty confident in yourself."

"I am." A sliver of uncertainty wormed its way into her subconscious, and she squashed it instantly. "My plan is foolproof. No matter what, Adrien is going to know how I feel!"

Last night, Marinette had written a letter to Adrien and made sure three different times that she had _signed_ the dratted thing. Just in case that failed, she had texted herself the entire message, planning on getting Adrien's number from Nino if she couldn't work up the courage to say it to his face or hand him the letter.

Essentially, if her first plan - confessing out loud - failed, she would hand him the letter. If _that_ failed, she would approach Nino and ask him for help. One way or another, she was _definitely_ going to get her feelings across to Adrien this time!

She clenched her fist again in determination and courage. Just then, Adrien walked into the main area, closely flanked by his chill best friend, Nino. Suddenly, her mind blanked and she just stared at him, enamored. Butterflies twisted in her stomach again.

Alya waved her hand in front of Marinette's face. "Earth to Marinette," she called out before Adrien noticed. "Get yourself together."

With extreme will power, Marinette shook her head and opened her bag, fumbling with the letter. It fell out, landing face-down on the ground. She scrambled for it, mentally cursing her clumsiness.

A hand reached forward and picked it up for her. She followed it up to see a white sleeve covering a perfectly shaped shoulder, blonde hair brushing along his neck. Green eyes pierced into hers.

"You dropped this?" Adrien said, smiling at her.

 _Ohmygosh, what do I do?!_ Marinette screamed internally. She couldn't fathom speaking her feelings now - she felt like she was already tongue-tied. _Plan B, then._

Marinette laughed, but it sounded a little weird. "Yeah, I did. You can do whatever with it. I mean, it's for read to you. Uh, for you read to." Her face flushed a bright pink. Nope, words were failing her. Glancing at the palm of her hand, she quickly recited, "It's for you. Let me know what you think."

Unable to stand there any longer, she pivoted on her heel and walked away, Alya following her and congratulating her quietly on the victory.

* * *

Adrien watched Marinette walk away, her posture slightly stiff. He glanced down at the letter in his hand as Nino leaned over and examined the envelope with him.

"Oooh, dude, you're in for it," he said, fingering his headphones and smirking. He walked towards the entrance. "Enjoy working up a reply."

Curious, Adrien flicked open the envelope just as his alarm went off for one of his study sessions after school. "Drat it," he muttered to himself, stuffing the letter into his bag. "I'll read it later."

Plagg poked his head out from within Adrien's shirt and glimpsed the letter before Adrien closed his bag. "Oooh, a love letter?" he teased, grinning slyly.

Adrien scoffed at the catlike kwami. "No way. It's from Marinette."

Plagg snorted. "If you say so."

Later that night after all of his extra lessons and tutoring sessions, Adrien collapsed onto his couch, exhausted. Plagg munched on some camembert on the table as the news droned on about some jewelry thief in the area.

"I feel like I can just pass out right here and now…" he groaned, his eyes sliding closed. Tonight was Ladybug's solo patrol night, so he wouldn't feel guilty if he really did hit the sack early…

Plagg paused in his munching to glance at him. "What about Marinette's letter, though?"

Suddenly full of new energy, Adrien sat up. "Oh, that's right! I better see what that was about."

He ruffled through his bag, pulling out the half-opened envelope and sitting back on his couch. He unfolded the simple paper and began reading out loud to Plagg.

"'Dear Adrien, I have been wanting to tell you this for a long time, but I never worked up the courage until now. How could I if I keep stammering, after all? Haha, looks like I'm rambling again. Anyway, would you like to go to the movies with me some time? I really… like… you…'"

He trailed off at the end of the letter, realizing Plagg had been spot-on with his assumptions. "Marinette… likes me?" he breathed, emotions whirling around inside him. While Marinette was a very nice girl and one of his friends, he already liked someone. Someone whom he didn't even know the true identity of. He wondered if this confession would impact his and Marinette's friendship.

"Uh oh," Pragg mumbled, his mouth full of cheese. "What will you do, Adrien?"

Adrien set his jaw, thinking of the only thing he _could_ do in a situation like this with one of his friends. "I'll just have to tell her."

* * *

Marinette fidgeted as she waited by the park bench, wishing this nerve-wracking day would be over with already. At lunch, Adrien had asked to meet her here after school to talk to her about her letter. Both she and Alya had taken this as a good sign; he might just want to have a better location to be able to ask her out!

Adrien came into view, something tucked underneath his arm. He waved slightly to Marinette, looking slightly uncomfortable but otherwise fine.

She waved back, embarrassed but excited at the same time. Unable to look him straight in the eyes, she shuffled her feet and asked, "So what did you… you know. The letter."

Adrien laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his head. "Ah, yeah. I'm so sorry, Marinette, but I really like someone else. No hard feelings, right? We can stay friends?" His voice held tones of hope and even a tinge of desperation.

Marinette's smile felt as though it was plastered to her face. For a good several seconds, she couldn't move or speak a word. Finally, she stammered out, "O-oh, yeah. I-it's fine. No biggie. Friends. Yeah. Sounds good."

Almost mechanically, she turned around and walked away, not looking back even once as her heart felt as if it was splitting into two. Her vision blurred.

Tikki zoomed out of her purse and hovered by her ear in concern. "It will be okay, Marinette. Maybe…" she paused, unsure how to continue.

Marinette collapsed on a park bench, pressing her face into her hands. "I can't believe I did that. I'm so stupid."

"You're not stupid, Marinette," Tikki tried to reassure her. "Just - "

"Tikki," Marinette interrupted, "Leave me alone for right now."

Tikki's little hand patted Marinette's cheek, sensing her holder's desire to not have her around. Marinette stayed where she was, sniffling to herself.

A soft brush against her ear had her tucking a stray lock of her hair back to feel that something was off. Frowning, she touched her earring to find that it was gone.

Gasping, she stood up, feeling the other side. The other earring was there, but she knew that if she didn't have _both_ of the earrings, she couldn't transform into Ladybug. She glanced around, catching a glimpse of a man dressed in casual street clothes slipping out of the park.

"Hey!" Marinette shouted, chasing after him. "Stop! Give that back!"

* * *

"Buuuuurned," Plagg dragged out the word, staring after Marinette as she wandered down the path away from them. "She must have _really_ liked you."

Adrien stared at the letter he had written her, wondering if he should chase after her to give it to her. He chewed his lip, uncertain.

"Hey! Stop! Give that back!"

Marinette's desperate voice yanked him around as if invisible strings had just pulled at him. He looked up just in time to see her darting out of the park as if in pursuit of someone. Before he realized it, his legs were moving after her as his hands curled around the letter.

"Maybe we shouldn't involve ourselves," Plagg said, uncertain. "After all, you did just break her heart."

"I can't just leave my friend if she's in trouble," Adrien responded quietly, chasing after Marinette and the thief.

Marinette, despite her clumsiness, was extremely fast and agile. With a start, he wondered how much of her clumsiness had been an act when she suddenly tripped over nothing and sprawled onto the sidewalk.

Plagg zoomed in front of him before he could approach. "Approaching her like this might not be a good idea, Adrien. Maybe - "

"Got it," Adrien breathed, stepping into a corner out of sight of the road and holding up his hand. His silver ring glinted brightly. "Plagg, claws out!"

"This wasn't what I was thinking!" Plagg whined as he was sucked into the ring. Adrien flicked his hands over his eyes and head; two black ears and a mask appeared, his green eyes slit like a cat's underneath the black material. His clothes turned into leather and a tail materialized.

He rushed over to the fallen Marinette, offering her a hand up. "Easy there. You okay? Want a hand?"

She took it as she looked at him. Tears streaked down her face, and she cut back a sob with a sharp breath.

Adrien froze. Had he really hurt her that badly with his words?

* * *

Relief coursed through Marinette when she saw Chat Noir. Gripping his hands tightly, she choked out, "Please help me."

Chat Noir stared at her as if appalled. Disgusted with herself, she swiped at her tears and tried again. "That thief - he stole my earring! It's really important - " She bit her lip, trying to cut back another sob.

She had already checked her little purse. Tikki was nowhere to be seen, which meant that all it took was for one earring to be taken out for her to disappear.

Chat Noir glanced down the road at the escaping thief. "Earring…?"

Marinette bit back her sharp retort, having to remind herself that she was not in her Ladybug form. "Chat Noir, you're faster than me. Please help me! I'll - I'll do whatever you want in return."

His gaze returned to her, analyzing and gauging. For some reason, his look gave her an odd feeling. "W-What?" she demanded, drawing her hands back.

He grabbed her wrists, holding them against his chest. "I'll do what I can," he said in an unusually serious voice, no hint of flirting in his voice. He took off down the street, using his extending pole to launch himself forward even faster.

Marinette slumped on the ground, her vision blurring again as fresh tears race down her cheeks again. Now that Chat Noir was chasing after the thief and her mind was no longer distracted, she remembered the rejection.

" _I'm so sorry, Marinette, but I really like someone else._ "

She clutched her hands near her chest, feeling a burning sensation there. She tried to hold back the sob.

* * *

"A broken heart in the midst of a crisis," a dark form said in the middle of a room full of white butterflies as a round metal shutter opened in the circular pattern. "Such a poor girl in a trying time. Perhaps my akuma could help her."

Hawk Moth's hand encompassed a white butterfly. It absorbed the darkness emanating from him, turning a vivid purple. "Fly away, my evil akuma, and evilize her!"

The little butterfly flapped out the small opening, flying with purpose over the city.

Little did anyone know the danger Marinette was in without her kwami protecting her.

* * *

 _A/N: Hope you liked the first part of Episode One: Lady Heartless! I had a ton of fun writing this episode. I'll try to keep it all regularly updated at least once a week._


	2. A Subtle Plan

_A/N: I got really excited this morning when I woke up and saw that I have some likes and follows already. Here's Part Two of the Lady Heartless episode..._

 _I actually have a good chunk written out for this story already; I'm just slowly converting it all to past tense (my main tense is present). I'm pretty much using this fanfic to reacquaint myself to past tense since two of my cowriters both use past tense. If you see any discrepancies, please let me know!_

 _Edit: My line breaks were all messed up in the first post, so I fixed that. Enjoy!_

* * *

Lady Heartless: Part Two

Marinette sat on the bench, waiting for Chat Noir to return. A sense of desolation and loneliness filled her from the absence of her friend and kwami, Tikki, as well as the knowledge that Adrien wasn't interested in her. She fingered her remaining earring, biting her lip slightly as tears rose unbidden yet again.

Suddenly, power rushed through her and a commanding yet seductive voice poured into her mind, surprise filling it. " _My, my. What a surprise; you seem to have some level of resistance against me, Lady Heartless._ "

A distant pang of alarm shot through her, but a coldness took over her body, trapping her. She couldn't move or speak.

" _I am Hawk Moth, and I grant you the power to dispel emotions from those of your choosing. Use this power as you see fit. By doing so, you will be able to solve that little heartbreak problem you are having. My only request is you steal a little something for me - Chat Noir's and Ladybug's Miraculouses._ "

 _This can't be happening,_ Marinette thought to herself, but try as hard as she might, she couldn't control her own body. Her voice replied in a monotone, "Of course, Hawk Moth. Thank you."

A ripple of dark energy cascaded over her. However, when she glanced down, nothing looked different other than that her purse was now a dark purple and a small round cylinder was in her hand.

As Hawk Moth's presence left her body, she regained control of herself - somewhat. An inexplicable urge to carry out Hawk Moth's orders filled her until her legs took her around the corner in the direction Chat Noir had taken in pursuit of the thief.

Her fingers convulsed around the cool metal in her hand, instinctively knowing how to use it. As another pang rocked through her from Adrien's rejection, her fingers rose almost unbiddingly to place the instrument to her neck. She pulled the trigger in the middle.

* * *

Adrien tackled the thief, sending him sprawling. He squeaked in alarm at the sight of the city's hero perching on his back.

Adrien grinned at him. "Today's your unlucky day, thief. You see, you stole an earring from my friend, and she wants it back. Hand it over."

Fingers trembling, the thief pulled a small black earring out of his pocket and dropped it in Adrien's outstretched hand. Adrien looked at it, suddenly remembering how Marinette had looked when he had rejected her. His expression darkened.

"Thank you," he growled, lifting the thief with him. "As a show of gratitude, I won't beat you up. You can just stay here and wait for the police."

After making the call and ensuring the knots would hold until the police arrived, Adrien set off towards where he had left Marinette. He hoped she was all right.

Rounding the corner, relief crashed through him as he saw her walking towards him, looking normal. A slight glimmer was around her cheeks, but he supposed that was because of her tears.

"Purr-fect timing," he said, bowing like he usually did - although it felt forced this time. He had broken this girl's heart only minutes ago, after all. "Here is your earring."

Marinette examined the earring with cool detachment, almost uninterested. She glanced down at the metal cylinder she held in her right hand.

Adrien examined it, as well. Its smooth features didn't give away what it was, although one end had little holes in it as if it exudes something. There was a trigger in the middle.

As Marinette reached forward, her collar shifted enough for Adrien to notice a cylindrical reddish-purple mark on her neck. As soon as her fingers closed around the little earring, he grabbed her wrist, pulling her closer and staring at her neck.

"What happened?" he asked, stunned. It hadn't been there before.

Marinette smiled emotionlessly at him. "The guy I liked rejected me, so I took away my own emotions. Now I no longer feel that pain."

Adrien was too stunned to do anything. Marinette easily slipped out of his grip, walking towards the park without a backwards glance.

With a start, Adrien stared at Marinette's little purse as she put the metal tube inside of it. It was purple with a lavender outline of a butterfly on it.

"No…" he breathed, horror reaching into him. "It couldn't be…"

* * *

Marinette walked away from Chat Noir, mentally running through her options. If Adrien was still in the park, she would tell him she no longer cares. If not, then she would just put on her earring and summon Tikki. She was no longer concerned about her situation, although she knew logically it wasn't a good one; Hawk Moth could potentially control her if she didn't carry out the mission he had given her.

Not seeing Adrien anywhere in sight, she popped her earring back into place. Tikki materialized in front of her, stretching and shivering in reflex.

"Something feels wrong…" she mumbled, finally getting a good look at Marinette. She gasped in horror. "Marinette! What happened? How did you - "

"Wait," Marinette cut off her Kwami, holding up her hand. "I need your help, Tikki. Hawk Moth took advantage of my broken heart, but because of that, I gained the power to eliminate emotions. I eliminated my own emotions so they wouldn't cloud my judgement, but if he takes control over me, it could be troublesome."

Tikki stared at her in wariness and concern. "Marinette, you shouldn't act so rashly. Let's find Chat Noir and - "

"Tikki, spots on!" Marinette called out, flicking her fingers over her eyes as her black earrings turned red with black spots. A black-spotted red mask covered her face as a skin-tight red suit with black spots covered her whole body. Her trademark item, the yo-yo, appeared just underneath her purple purse - now the only thing left on her that gave away her akumatized state.

She felt Hawk Moth's shock through the connection. " _You are Ladybug?_ " he asked, amazed. Glee poured through the connection like honey. She tried to shake off the initial manipulated satisfaction at making Hawk Moth _happy_ , but it was like an irresistible pull.

" _Bring me Chat Noir_ ," Hawk Moth ordered.

An idea sparked in her mind. Maybe this was how they can capture Hawk Moth; she could _feel_ his location, after all. She grinned, though she felt no emotion behind it. "With pleasure, Hawk Moth. Just give me time; I have a plan."

Marinette disguised her purse and her akuma tool the best she could; with the weapon, she figured she could possibly use it again in case the effects were temporary, so she stuffed it down the black collar of her shirt. As for the purse…

She chewed on her lip, contemplating. She had never had the problem of her clothes following her through the transformation until now. If she left it here in the park, would it still be here when everything reverted back, or would she have to search for it again?

Suddenly, an idea crossed her mind just as Chat Noir dropped in front of her. "Ladybug - "

He stopped when he saw the purse in her hands. Marinette kept her expression neutral - not a hard feat now - as her partner's eyes widened. "Do you know who this belongs to?" she asked.

He nodded slowly. "Marinette. Her earring had been stolen and…" he winced. "She was rejected by the guy she liked."

Marinette tilted her head to the side as if in curiosity. If she had had emotions, she would have been concerned about how Chat Noir knew that much about her and how he had found it out. Now, though, she only had to pretend to be concerned as she shook her head. "Are you stalking the poor girl?"

Chat Noir shook his head quickly, stammering, "I, uh, just happened to be passing by when it happened. It seemed to be that Adrien guy."

A shadow of an emotion crossed over her at that name. Bitterness. She did her best to ignore it, though; there were more important things going on than the trivial feelings of a rejected teen. After all, this might be the best opportunity to catch Hawkmoth.

"I'll hold onto this until we find her, then. Do you know where she went?" she asked as she put the purse over her shoulder. It would explain why she would have it on her while in her Ladybug form; she would just have to hide it whenever she was in her regular form.

Chat Noir glanced around, frowning slightly. "She had headed this direction. She must have dropped her purse…"

Marinate strolled by him. "Based off the design of the purse, she must have been akumatized. What did she look like?"

He narrowed his eyes. "Except for her purse and a weird spot on her neck, she looked exactly the same as before…"

Marinette resisted the urge to finger the black collar of her disguise. It seemed luck was on her side with hiding her akumatized state from Chat Noir; however, if she wanted to try to get through this and finish off Hawk Moth once and for all, it might be in her best interest to play both sides for the moment. "Maybe the Akuma didn't affect her the way it normally affects people. We'll just have to find her."

Chat Noir nodded, following her out of the park.

* * *

Adrien watched Ladybug as she walked ahead of him with that confident stride. Something seemed different about her today, almost as if something was missing.

He darted to her side with a grin, trying to shake his guilt from the incident with Marinette. "So what brought you to this side of town, mi'lady? Was it my irresistible charm?" He waggled his eyebrows at her, a sly grin on his face.

Ladybug didn't even spare him a glance. "I just happened to be passing by when I saw the purse."

 _Something is wrong_ , screamed in his mind, and he fought to hide the frown. "Oh-ho, so it must have been my charm." He latched onto her arm, winking at her. "All you had to do was ask and I'd go with you."

She looked at him, but not with an irritated look or a reprimand. She faced him with cool detachment, the shadow of irritation coating her face - but her eyes were emotionless.

She smirked at him, although it didn't reach her eyes. "As if I'd let you follow me home."

He released her arm, unsettled. Something was definitely wrong. "Is something up, Ladybug? You're acting kind of odd."

She shook her head. "Sorry, I'm just a bit out of it. I'll be fine once I get some sleep. Meet me here tomorrow evening around the normal time; we'll look for Marinette then. It doesn't seem as though she's causing a ruckus like normal akumatized victims, so I don't think it will be a big deal if we wait."

Chat Noir slowly nodded, backing up. "Sounds like a plan. See you then."

He took off, heading back to his place. Only once he was back in his room and Plagg was chewing on his disgusting cheese did he remember the letter he had meant to give to Marinette. "Great…" he mumbled, holding the letter in his hands. "It's my fault…"

* * *

The next evening, Marinette waited in her Ladybug disguise in the park where Adrien had so thoroughly rejected her just yesterday. She calmly assessed the area, feeling a small twinge of heartache beyond her drug-induced indifference.

Hawk Moth's voice echoed in her head. " _How long do you intend to make me wait?_ "

"Do you know why we keep defeating you?" she retorted back, and she felt his shock that she had spoken back to him. She tried to play it off by answering both his question and hers in one go. "You rush things. Patience is a virtue; I will bring you both of our Miraculous in due time, Hawk Moth. I have a plan; I just need to put it into motion."

" _I look forward to seeing the results._ " She felt his presence leave like a slimy slug inching off of her. She shivered involuntarily.

Arms encircled her in a warm embrace. "Cold, mi'lady? I'll warm you up," a certain green-eyed cat's voice purred in her ear.

Having practiced in the mirror for a good few hours last night, she now gave him an irritated look despite her indifference and apathy. "We don't have time for this, Chat Noir. We need to look for Marinette."

He released her, a grin on his face. "As you wish, mi'lady." He bowed deeply, his ears twitching. He glanced up, staring behind her. "Looks like we have some guests."

Marinette already knew about them. After all, she had shot them with her "Indifference Infuser" as she knew it was called. She had then convinced them to come here and do whatever they would like – but just show up.

Marinette walked up to the first emotionless individual, frowning slightly as she asked the construction worker, "Why are you here? Isn't the construction on Fifth Street?"

He shrugged. "Why does that matter? I'm just one worker, and it's not like they'll even notice me gone. I don't care what they think."

Chat Noir was questioning a security officer from the nearby bank, coming to the same result. He paled visibly as he came to some realization. "Marinette," he whispered, a flash of regret crossing his features. "It's got to be her."

"Why do you say that?" Marinette asked, sounding alarmed when really she could care less. "Did something happen?"

Chat Noir rubbed the back of his head, not looking at her. "Well, you see, she did something to remove her emotions from herself. It was kind of odd to see her perfectly fine after the state she had been in when I had left to chase after the thief."

A pang shot through her heart at the memory, alerting her that the diffuser's time was running out – it didn't last as long on her as it did on the other people. "Let's go try to find her," she said, using her yo-yo to launch herself up a building. She knew it was pointless - after all, she was right here - but she needed to lead Chat Noir on so they could get close to Hawkmoth.

Chat Noir followed behind her, rendering her unable to use her infuser to send the crippling feelings back to where they had come from.

* * *

 _A/N: I hope you liked it! I have large plans for these two, as well as Hawkmoth... It's gonna be fun. *rubs hands together in a sinister manner*_


	3. The Indifference Infuser

_A/N: I finished editing this part a bit earlier than expected, so I decided to go ahead and post it. Enjoy!_

* * *

Lady Heartless: Part Three

Adrien followed after Ladybug, mulling over his interactions with Marinette. She had seemed mostly fine – too fine, actually. When he had spoken to her and tried to give her the envelope, she hadn't stuttered, hadn't turned red, and hadn't cried. She had accepted the letter calmly, reading it in front of him with no change in her expression. Even Alya and Nino had noticed the difference in her actions around him.

"Hey, Ladybug," Adrien called out, hoping she would stop for a moment. He really, really needed advice, and he couldn't just go to Alya about this. However, when his partner didn't stop, he said, "Hold up a moment."

She landed with grace that rivaled his own catlike reflexes. He straightened next to her, rubbing the back of his head and feeling self-conscious. After all, he was about to ask the love of his life for advice on how to comfort a heartbroken friend.

Taking a deep breath, he steeled himself for the teasing as he blurted, "So I have this friend who was recently confessed to. He turned it down because he likes someone else, but he's worried that it had ruined his friendship with the girl. Any advice on how he can stay friends with her?"

Ladybug turned away, but not before a flash of pain crossed her face. "It's all up to her, really. If she wants to stay friends, as well, then I guess it's possible."

"So he should… ask her?" Adrien chewed his lip, uncertain. He had already asked Marinette if she wanted to stay friends and she hadn't responded.

Ladybug tilted her head to the side, curious. "Does she know the person your friend likes?"

Adrien shook his head and then paused. "I mean, she does, but doesn't at the same time…" His face flushed slightly. "Why?"

Ladybug shrugged. "Sometimes it makes a difference. If your friend likes her best friend, then they might not be able to stay friends because then she might feel that both of them had betrayed her."

Adrien instantly waved his hand in front of his face, dispelling the idea. "Oh, no, no. It's an unrequited love; his crush doesn't even know how much he likes her."

She stared at him curiously, but she looked as if she was battling some internal question. She turned away, another flash of pain crossing her face before it could escape his notice. "I'll be right back."

Adrien grabbed her arm, stopping her. "That's the second time you've had that expression. What happened, Ladybug?"

Ladybug yanked her arm out of his grip, white-hot anger flashing across her features before being tempered. "Just some personal stuff. Don't worry about me."

"After all this time, you think I won't notice you acting a little different?" he said in a low voice, serious. "We're partners. We need to be able to have each other's back all the time."

She didn't say anything.

"Come on, Ladybug," he growled, frustrated. "If something's going on that's affecting you, just tell me. Maybe I can help."

Something else flashed in the depths of her bluebell eyes – despair. "You can't." She yanked her arm free, stalking across the roof.

Adrien followed her, grinding his teeth together. He would get whatever was bothering her out of her before the end of this day. "You can tell me anything, Ladybug. I won't tell a soul. Cat's honor."

Ladybug whirled on him, tears gathering in those beautiful eyes as her anger, sadness, and frustration finally tipped over the breaking point. "I got rejected by someone I like, and I'm trying not to let it affect me. Happy now?"

Adrien winced, remembering his question from earlier. He was pretty sure that hadn't helped her feel any better, either. "I'm sorry," he whispered, reaching out for her. "If you need any – "

"I'll be fine," she murmured, turning away with her shoulders squared. "I just… need a moment. Don't follow me, Chat Noir."

He didn't. This time, he watched the girl he loved walk away from him, wishing he could comfort her and beat up the sod who had done this to her.

When Ladybug returned, she was composed and ready to continue the search. Chat Noir watched her, noticing her carefully neutral expression that barely twitched unless she seemed to focus on it. He wondered if he had ever heard of her crush, but nothing came to mind; however, with the knowledge that she had liked someone else, his own heart broke a little bit.

 _At least now I know how Marinette had felt,_ he thought grimly. _I'll have to apologize to her again, maybe even tell her that my own crush doesn't even acknowledge me._

The rest of the search was a failure. No matter where they looked, they couldn't find Marinette; it was as if she had disappeared. They even went to her house, but she wasn't there. There were no more incidents of emotionless people, either.

"Perhaps Hawk Moth has different plans for her," Ladybug finally suggested, frowning slightly.

Adrien nodded, swept up in his thoughts. "Perhaps. I – My friend seems to know her at school. I'll see what he says tomorrow before we meet up here again."

Ladybug nodded. "Sounds like a plan. See you tomorrow."

Adrien paused, staring at Ladybug's clear bluebell eyes. He couldn't help but murmur, "If you need me for anything, Ladybug, just leave a note underneath the park's second bench on the east side. I'll come as quickly as possible."

Ladybug waved him off as if he was an annoyance. "Scram, cat. Your wet food is probably drying." As he leapt onto the next roof, he barely caught her next whisper. "Thank you."

Marinette stopped on her roof, about to open the door when Hawk Moth's voice resonated in her mind. " _Tell me your plan before I lose my patience, Ladybug._ "

Having expected this, she retorted, "You seem to have already lost it. This is only the second day; kingdoms never rise overnight, you know. I have a plan that involves luring Chat Noir closer to you and trapping him." She gave the air in front of her a grin that didn't reflect her true state of indifference. "Wouldn't you like to take the ring off yourself?"

The silence preceding that question was deafening. Suddenly, a dark chuckle emanated from Hawk Moth. " _I am beginning to see how you managed to defeat me time and time again. Perhaps I can learn a few tricks from_ you _, Ladybug._ "

Perhaps. And perhaps her double-crossing plan would work, and then Hawk Moth would never win.

 _I'll miss this power, though,_ she thought, startling herself. She wondered if she could keep her akuma with her and not give it up but still defeat Hawk Moth. She didn't know if she could keep on the way she was without blocking her emotions, after all.

As soon as she was back to normal, Tikki began scolding her again. "You need to tell Chat Noir that you have been akumatized! Don't you see what it's doing to you, Marinette?" Tikki drooped tiredly on the table. "It's beginning to affect me, too. Please, Marinette, do something quick before we both fall to it. The only reason you can still think for yourself is because there's me, too."

It had only been thirty minutes since she had shot herself with the Indifference Infuser after her little incident with Chat Noir. Thinking back on that, she instantly shook her head. "I can't do that, Tikki. I'm too emotional without the Infuser. I'll be all right; everything will work out."

Marinette kept it vague in case Hawk Moth was listening in on her like he had done with the other akuma-infected individuals. She stretched out on her bed, planning to set the next phase of her plan into action tomorrow at the school.

The next day, Marinette sat in her usual seat right behind Adrien. If it wasn't for the Infuser's powers, she would have been surprised when he turned around and whispered, "We need to talk later."

She shrugged, looking at Ms. Bustier about to begin class. "Okay."

He stared at her as if he wanted to say something else, but the teacher cleared her throat. He turned back around.

Lunchtime was when she would begin her plan; she will go around and infuse select individuals to lure Chat Noir here, and then take him closer to where she could sense Hawk Moth. Her Infuser lasted for six to eight hours, so the people won't be permanently effected – however, it was long enough that they would go through the rest of the school day indifferent to everything they do.

However, when she reached into her bag to grasp her infuser, it wasn't there.

She dug in her bag, trying to find it. A rising sense of desperation and panic welled in her, alerting her that her own dose was coming to an end; because of her Kwami, it only took four hours for it to wear off. She could feel the crushing weight of the rejection weighing down on her, and she preferred the emptiness that the infuser gave her over this heart-wrenching ache.

A glint caught her eye as Adrien got up from his seat. Her breath hitched as he noticed the Infuser at his feet and picked it up. He turned towards her, noticing how she had been reaching for it.

"Give it back," she said softly, fighting her urge to run from the room.

Everyone else had already left for lunch. Nino and Alya glanced between them, sensing the mood and slipping out before they got dragged in on anything.

"Marinette – "

"Give it back, please."

Adrien's hand clenched around the metal, holding it tightly. Marinette ground her teeth together, finally meeting his eyes. Anger flashed through her, white hot and blurring her vision.

Adrien's eyes widened. "Marinette, please, just hear me out. I'm really sorry about the other day; I hadn't wanted to hurt your feelings." He winced, looking guilty. "My-my crush shot me down, too. She shoots me down a lot, actually, but yesterday…" He laughed. "Yesterday, I found out she liked someone else. It felt like someone had stabbed me."

Confusion flickered through Marinette, as well as a sense of déjà vu. Why was she suddenly remembering Chat Noir's words from last night? Might this be the "friend" he had been talking about?

Adrien stepped closer, holding out his hand to her. "Please, Marinette. I really don't want to lose a friend." He stared into her eyes, searching.

Marinette paused. Those green eyes trapped her, and she felt as if she was drowning in his gaze. To think he loved someone else and had also been rejected…

 _That's it. I'll just manipulate him, too._

Marinette grabbed his hand firmly even as her vision blurred. She yanked him towards her, knocking him off balance as she reached for the Indifference Infuser.

However, he was taller than her. Stepping forward to anchor himself, he lifted his arm straight up, keeping the Infuser out of her reach. He pulled her arm behind him, bringing her closer and making it impossible for her to reach her akuma-style weapon.

"Please, Marinette," he begged, his eyes boring into her.

"Let me go and give it back!" she ordered, straining her arm muscles to reach for it.

"I'll give it back once you promise you will listen to me."

She glared at him indignantly. "Fine. But that means you have to listen to me, too."

He flashed her one of his blinding smiles, releasing her. She stumbled back, her cheeks turning slightly red as she realized exactly how close they had been. He offered her the Infuser.

She snatched it out of his hand before he could stop her. Glaring at him, she said, "Go on."

Adrien winced. "Marinette, I - " He blinked, staring at her eyes as dawning recognition crossed his face. "You're… No way…"

Marinette rolled her eyes. "You're not fooling me, Adrien. Listen, I have this concoction in here that makes me feel better. It's like a medicine." She wiggled the bottle. "I can get you some if you like it. Want to try it out?"

More like to make him shut up; he needed to stop caring about her, as backwards as that sounded. She was starting to feel guilty about the way she had been treating him; apparently, she still had feelings for him, and she didn't want him getting caught up in what was going on around her right now. As the minutes ticked by, her emotions started breaking through like a curtain being burnt. She needed to hurry up and take her own dose before anything stupid happens, such as she starts crying.

* * *

Adrien narrowed his eyes at the cylinder. For a few seconds, Marinette had reminded him of Ladybug with that angry expression his disguised partner used to give him. However, at Marinette's proposition, this suspicion vanished as he realized her akuma must be in the bottle.

 _That's how she's doing it,_ he realized. _She must be infusing people with whatever's in that and making them emotionless._ "Marinette, where did you get that?"

 _Stall, stall, stall,_ he chanted to himself, edging back. All he needed to do was figure out a way to transform and stop her in time so Ladybug could finish off the akuma; as soon as Ladybug caught it -

 _But those eyes_.

He stared into her bluebell eyes, and almost unbiddingly, he imagined a black and red mask on her.

"I picked it up two days ago," Marinette admitted, swallowing hard as she looked away from him. "After…"

After he had rejected her. "I'm sorry," he whispered, looking away. "I'll leave you alone."

Of course, it was all just a ruse; make her feel secure as he planned an ambush. As soon as he was out of sight and around the corner, he glanced around and held up his hand. "Plagg - "

"Wait!" Plagg screeched, zooming out from underneath his shirt to flit frantically around Adrien's face. "Did you see it? Her akuma?"

"Yeah. It's that cylinder," Adrien said grimly. "But Ladybug isn't here to get rid of it. At least we can keep it from - "

"No!" Plagg interrupted him. "It's her _right earring_!"

Adrien froze, shocked for a second. Her reaction to her earring being stolen by that thief flashed through his mind, and his will solidified. "Got it. Plagg, claws out!"

As soon as the transformation was complete, he darted back into the room to see Marinette holding the cylinder to her throat, her eyes closed as her fingers squeezed the trigger.


	4. A Cat's Concern

_A/N: Ah, the suspense... I love it. I'm a cliffhanger kind of writer; please don't hate me!  
This section is a little shorter than the others, but I think it's worth it._

* * *

Lady Heartless: Part Four

Adrien pressed a button on his pole. It shot out, knocking the cylinder away from her neck; tiny needles pierced the air, and a thick liquid dripped from it.

Marinette stared at him, stunned. "How - "

Acting purely on instinct, Adrien skidded to a halt in front of her and hugged her tightly. It was funny how he felt more comfortable doing this as Chat Noir than as himself.

"Don't do it," he whispered, his voice raspy. "Even the painful emotions are better than no emotions. They'll pass eventually."

Marinette relaxed slightly, and he tried to pull back to see how she was doing when she released a small, choked sob, muffled by his chest. "I want it to stop, though…"

"There, there," he comforted her, patting her back as he glanced down at the right earring that glinted a dark purple around the rim.

Just then, she stopped crying and jerked her head up, her eyes narrowed. Her face was dry, and the Infuser was pressed into her arm. "You really think I'll break down that easily? Your emotions cloud you too much, Chat Noir."

"Marinette?" Adrien questioned, his voice trembling slightly. She grinned with no emotion.

" _You_ can call me Lady Heartless. I'll make you apathetic to everything in this world - just like me." He felt the cool end of the Infuser against his throat.

He knocked it away before she could press the trigger. Gritting his teeth, he struck the base of her neck, knocking her out quickly. "I'm sorry," he whispered, fighting back the urge to punch something. He had never wanted to hurt his friends, but without Ladybug, he couldn't help Marinette.

Something wriggled in Marinette's pocket. Startled, Adrien reached forward and unbuttoned the pocket, and a red creature with black spots on it poked its head out, looking dazed and kind of ill.

"Chat Noir," it rasped, its head lolling to the side as its eyes partially closed. "Please… help her…"

His eyes widened into saucers, realizing this was Ladybug's kwami. "No way," he whispered, staring at Marinette. _This_ just made things more complicated.

"Keep the infuser away from her," the little kwami gasped. "Each time she uses it, the akuma inside her earring gets stronger. It will wear off in four hours, but if she uses it much more, I won't be able to hold it off and she will be fully under Hawk Moth's control."

At this, the little kwami passed out, still hanging out of Marinette's pocket.

Determination filled Adrien. He would make this right. Gathering up both Marinette and the little kwami, he zoomed out a window so no one would notice him carrying her.

 _We'll both miss school_ , he realized grimly, still slightly shocked that Marinette was Ladybug. Which meant he had asked Marinette for advice on how to stay friends with her when he was actually in love with her…

He shook his head again, still _very_ confused.

* * *

Marinette opened her eyes, her neck sore where Chat Noir had performed a karate chop on her. She rubbed it, hissing at the pain as she took in her surroundings.

Wasn't this… Adrien's room?

The blue comforter shifted as she sat up, examining the blue globe on the end table near her. She heard a faint tapping sound and leaned forward to spy Adrien at his computer, looking something up.

He glanced over and grinned in relief. "Are you feeling any better?"

Marinette blinked, not responding to him. She looked around, noting that the shutters were closed. The whole room was dimly lit. "How did I get here?"

Adrien slung his arm over the back of his white chair, shrugging. "I went back to the classroom a bit early and saw you collapsed on the ground, so I brought you here to rest. I figured you didn't want to worry your parents."

Marinetta frowned slightly. She didn't remember everything that had happened before she had passed out. She remembered that she had been talking to Adrien, who had left, and then Chat Noir had come in…

She rubbed her head. "I don't remember what had happened." She glanced at him before looking away. "Well, I don't remember much after you had left, anyway."

Adrien frowned, concerned. He sat on the edge of the bed, reaching towards her. She instantly leaned away. "What are you - "

"I'm checking your temperature, silly." His wrist pressed against her forehead. He pursed his lips. "You're running a slight fever. Maybe I should have taken you to the hospital instead…"

"No!" Marinette reflexively grabbed his arm, but quickly let him go. "I'm fine. Really. I don't need a hospital."

He gave her a long, hard look. "Marinette, you were muttering nonsense about being 'Lady Heartless' or something like that. I didn't take you to the hospital initially because I was worried they would think you were crazy."

Marinette balled the comforter tightly into her fists. She stared at them as panic swirled inside of her. "How long have I been out?" she whispered.

"Three and a half hours." Adrien stood up and headed to the bathroom. "I have some cold medicine. You should rest, Marinette. I'll let your parents know you're here and that we're doing a group project."

The analytical side of her sensed an ulterior motive behind Adrien's statement. She narrowed her eyes at him. "Why not let me go home and let me rest there?"

Adrien paused, looking uncertain. "Because… Chat Noir told me to let you rest here, that it would be safer." He escaped into the bathroom and closed the door quickly as if to avoid any more questions.

Marinette slumped, unsure. Chat Noir had told Adrien to watch her? That must be it, then. Chat Noir and Adrien were good friends, and she had never known.

A light tapping emanated from the large shuttered windows. Getting out of the bed, she walked over and fiddled with the panels until it opened to reveal a familiar face clinging to the outside.

Chat Noir swung effortlessly into the room, strolling to the couch and plopping down on it as if he was right at home. "How's it going, Marinette? Feeling any better?"

Marinette quickly fumbled with the controls, closing the windows and shutters again. "You could have told me."

He raised an eyebrow at her as she sat on the end of the couch. "Told you what?"

She stared at the black TV screen. "That your friend was Adrien."

Suddenly, Chat Noir was in front of her, holding her hand in his gloved one. His green eyes glinted with a strange emotion. " _You_ could have told _me_ what is going on."

"I don't know what - "

"Marinette, he knows," Tikki said, climbing tiredly out of her pocket.

Marinette scooped up her kwami, staring at her as concern flickered through her, muted but clearly there. "What happened to you, Tikki?"

"So that's your kwami's name," Chat Noir murmured, staring at Tikki. "When I knocked you out, she asked me to help you, so I brought you here. It's the only place I could think of that was safe enough."

Tikki tiredly smiled up at her. "Chat Noir really cares for you, Marinette. He won't betray us."

 _But this might all ruin my plan to catch Hawk Moth!_ She quickly fought back the urge to shove Chat Noir's face away. She glanced towards the door leading into the bathroom. "You need to go. Adrien - "

"He knows," is all Chat Noir said, winking at her. "Gives me plenty of time to turn you into putty in my claws."

Marinette gave him a reprimanding look. "Chat Noir, this is no time for jokes. I - "

"Want to steal my Miraculous? Have a go at it." He waggled his hand in front of her face.

Marinette barely glanced at the ring. The green claw was a complete design with four claws and the pad in the middle; he hadn't used any of his skills yet. Smacking his hand out of the way, she snapped, "You need to leave - "

He grabbed her wrists, stopping her from getting up as he whispered, "I'm not leaving you."

She stared at him, stunned. Her heart thudded heavily in her chest.

"I'll protect you," he continued, his voice gaining a tinge of desperation. "Whatever it is that Hawk Moth has you doing, I'll get you out of it. Please, Marinette, just let me _help_ you _._ "

Marinette futilely tried to pull out of his grip. He switched to gripping her hands in his own, tangling his fingers around hers. "Chat Noir, stop it. Let me go."

He stared at her, his face unreadable. "If you were really being controlled by that creep, you would have taken this opportunity to steal my Miraculous, but you didn't." He sat back, but he didn't release her hands. "What _happened,_ Marinette?"

Tears gathered in the corner of her eyes. She turned away from him. "I got rejected, okay?" she whispered, closing her eyes.

"What if he doesn't say no this time?"

Her eyes popped open, and she stared at him. His eyes were dead serious as he stared at her intensely. She slowly shook her head. "He wouldn't. He likes - "

"He likes Ladybug," Chat Noir interrupted her. "Who he didn't know until today is you."

Marinette sucked in her breath. How had he found out? Even Tikki, now perched on her shoulder, seemed unsettled by this. "I didn't see Adrien…" Tikki mumbled, sinking into the collar of Marinette's jacket.

"If that's the case, then you should leave, Chat Noir, before he comes in and sees this situation." She jerked her chin at their joined hands. "No need to complicate this situation any more than it already is."

"There's no need," Chat Noir said, his voice throaty. "He's already here."

* * *

 _A/N: I hoped you liked part 4! Will Chat reveal himself...?  
I'll probably have the next part up in the next day or so after I'm done editing it._


	5. Hidden Truths

Lady Heartless: Part Five

Marinette twisted around to look at the bathroom, but the door was still tightly shut. She felt a slight change in the hands clasped around hers as Tikki gasped. Irritated now, Marinette turned back towards Chat Noir. "What kind of joke - "

She choked on her own words as she saw Adrien in front of her, holding her hands. He grinned at her. "I figured since I found out about your identity, it would only be fair for you to know about mine."

She continued to stare at him in disbelief. A little kwami that resembled a cat sniggered from behind Adrien's shoulder. "Aw, man, you shocked her so bad she went mute!"

"Shut up, Plagg," Adrien gritted his teeth at the catlike kwami. "Go eat your stinking cheese already."

Tikki floated out of Marinette's collar, examining Plagg with narrowed eyes. "Plagg."

Plagg gulped audibly. "I - uh - need to find that cheese!"

"Come back here, Plagg!" Tikki yelled, chasing the kwami around the room. "You lazy, over-indulgent, irresponsible - "

"They seem to know each other," Adrien mumbled, staring after them in surprise.

Marinette glanced down at their joined hands and blushed. She pulled her hands back, self-consciously wrapping her arms around her legs as she stared at Adrien from underneath her bangs.

"Do you… really like Ladybug?" she whispered, feeling that if she spoke any louder she might cry.

Adrien blushed and looked away, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment. "Uh… yeah. I-I've been wanting to know who you were underneath that mask for a while." He laughed nervously. "To think you were Marinette, a close friend of mine, and you like me, too."

Her cheeks turned a flaming red. She hid behind her knees, suddenly _very_ self-conscious and embarrassed.

Adrien took one of her hands and placed a kiss on it. "I'm all yours, mi'lady," he murmured, giving her one of Chat Noir's devastatingly flirtatious grins. He winked at her.

Her eyes welled up. "If you're messing with me…"

An exaggerated horrified expression crossed his face and he clutched at his chest with his free hand. "Why would I ever fake showing my love to the woman I care for?"

Suddenly, all of Chat Noir's actions towards Ladybug flashed through her mind. Those had all been _Adrien_. She leaned her head against the couch, the world spinning.

"Marinette?" Adrien said softly, leaning forward in concern. "Are you okay?"

"Uh huh." She buried her face in her arms, curling up on her side and avoiding Adrien's gaze. One of his nicknames, 'bug-a-boo,' resounded _very loudly_ in her head. She squeaked when he touched her shoulder.

"Marinette, what's wrong?" he asked, sounding alarmed.

She remained silent for a moment longer, listening to the clatter of the two bickering kwamis by the desk. Her voice came out as a squeak. "The-the nicknames. They were - I mean, did you - that time with - "

Adrien laughed, the sound filled with relief. "Well, bug-a-boo, I guess my statement is correct."

She peeked at him through her fingers to see him smirking at her, looking too handsome for her own health. "Wh-what was that?"

His grin widened. "You really did fall for me once you saw the face underneath the mask."

Marinette flashed back to that day. They had just defeated Rogercop when Chat had made one of his awful puns, quickly followed by, " _I'd stick around, but then you'd see me without my mask and… you wouldn't be able to resist me._ " She buried her face in her hands again.

"Oh, no, you don't." He pried her hands away from her face, grinning down at her embarrassed look. "To think that you've liked me this whole time! I'm not letting you go now."

Tikki and Plagg floated over. Plagg looked reluctant to be following after Tikki but curious about the situation while Tikki beamed at Adrien and Marinette. "I'm so happy you're feeling better, Marinette! I'm sorry I couldn't hold back that akuma's power better."

Marinette frowned at Tikki, confused. "What do you mean?"

Adrien stared quizzically at the kwami. She looked better than before, but still tired. "Do you mean when she had called herself 'Lady Heartless', Tikki?"

Tikki nodded. "I wasn't expecting her to inject herself because you were there, so my hold on the akuma wasn't as tight as it should have been. She momentarily slipped fully into akuma state; if she had been in it for a moment longer, she would have transformed, too."

Adrien and Marinette paled at this. Marinette touched her right earring, wondering exactly how much longer she had until a full transformation.

Adrien gently took her hand, pulling it down. "It's okay, Marinette. We'll figure this out together."

Marinette nodded, taking a deep breath before turning to her kwami. "What should we - urgh!"

Her head felt as if it was being split open as Hawk Moth's voice rang loudly through her head. " _I am gone for a short amount of time only to come back and see you plotting against me? You shall pay, Ladybug! You awakened once, you shall awaken again! Lady Heartless! Come to me!_ "

Marinette felt as if strings were pulling her up by a puppeteer. "Tikki," she gasped, her eyes closed as she tried to fight the urge to obey the command to go to Hawkmoth. It was so _strong_ this time. "Spots… on!"

Within seconds, she was standing in front of Adrien in her Ladybug disguise. Her fingers trembling, she stripped off her yo-yo and chokes out, "Lucky… Charm."

A strip of cloth appeared and fluttered down. Adrien caught it with a frown, but he could already guess what it was for. Hawk Moth could see through her eyes; if Adrien transformed, Hawk Moth would know Chat Noir's identity, too.

Marinette's fingers twitched as she tried to move them to her right earlobe where the akuma resided within her earring. Adrien's eyes widened as he realized what she was trying to do. He charged at her.

Her body automatically responded to attack despite her eyes being shut. She tried to fight it as her leg swung towards Adrien's side.

Surprisingly enough, Hawk Moth's voice broke through her body's automatic response to Adrien's attack. " _Stop! Come straight to me, Ladybug!_ "

Her arms relaxed as Adrien flung her yo-yo at her, tangling her limbs and tripping her. He leaped onto her back, pinning her to the ground and tying the band of cloth around her eyes. "I'm sorry, Ladybug," he mumbled.

"Don't… apologize," she strained, fighting against the mind-controlling elements of Hawk Moth's powers. "When I… wake up, don't tell me about… this. I want… to find out… again, as myself."

He hesitated. Did she know something he didn't? "Okay," he agreed despite his unease. He took off her earring and smashed it against the wall leading to the entrance of his room. A small, purple butterfly fluttered out.

Marinette went limp.

 _I hope this works,_ he thought, fumbling with the yo-yo before finally opening the device. "No more evil-doing for you, evil akuma," he murmured grimly, trapping the tainted creature. It opens again to release a pure white butterfly. "Beautiful…"

Ladybug's Lucky Charm suddenly swooshed away on a wave of color, fixing anything she had caused damage to. Surprisingly enough, it swirled the most around Marinette before finally disappearing.

Adrien crept towards her, noticing that her right earring was fixed and back in her ear again. She opened her eyes, groaning as she slowly pushed herself up and looked around.

"Adrien's room…?" She blinked away her dazed state. "How did I get here…?"

"Ladybug," Adrien called out, his eyes wide. "Are you okay?"

"Adrien?!" she squeaked, turning to see him. She glanced around as if looking for someone. "Where's Chat Noir? What happened?"

Adrien's heart plummeted. _That's right,_ he thought desolately, _when an akuma is purified, the victim doesn't remember anything._ "You… you were akumatized. You had me help catch the thing that came out of your earring."

"My… earring…" She reached up, a light sparking in her eyes.

Her fingers met the cool material of the stone and post. And then she remembered the awful rejection by the very one in front of her.

Adrien smiled slightly, almost heartbroken himself. "Ladybug," he started, and then shook his head. "I-I've said some awful things to both you and Marinette these past few days. I hope you'll forgive me."

He wrapped his arms around himself, unable to meet her eyes. His face said it all, though; guilt and shame warred in his expression.

She didn't quite understand everything that was going on, but she did know that despite everything that must have happened, Adrien seemed genuinely anguished about something.

Marinette walked over to him, placing her hand on his shoulder and smiling at him. "You were pretty brave to help me with that akuma," she exclaimed, grinning at him through her initial pang of hurt at his words in the park. "Could you tell me how I had gotten here, though?"

He blushed, rubbing the back of his head. "Well, you see, you passed out and I was worried about you, so I brought you here to recover." He smiled at her shyly.

With a start, it clicked into place. "You… like me?" she muttered, and then realized she had said it out loud. She clapped her hands over her mouth, backing up rapidly.

Adrien straightened, clenching his fists and setting his jaw in determination. "Yeah. I do. But I have to be honest with myself…"

He took a deep breath. She stopped breathing.

"I like Marinette more."

Marinette stared at him, stunned. She didn't know how much time had passed between the time in the park and now, but it couldn't have been long. Finally, she recovered enough to beam at him. "I'm sure it would work out better between you and her. You should tell her yourself."

He grinned, looking as if he knew some big secret. "I plan on it." Her earrings flashed, and he pointed at them. "You might want to leave soon, Ladybug."

"Oh!" She touched her left earring briefly before nodding to Adrien. "Thank you for helping me. Goodbye, Adrien."

"Goodbye, mi'lady," he whispered inaudibly as she leaped out the window.

Plagg rocketed out of his hiding place. "Why didn't you tell her?" he yowled, his green eyes as wide as saucers.

Adrien shook his head. "She didn't want me to. I'll keep my promise to her, Plagg, even if it means more work on my part."

* * *

Hawk Moth clenched his fists as the butterflies around him flutter in response to his agitation. He glared at his Moth Miraculous as if it was the source of his problems. "Ladybug and Chat Noir… now Adrien Agreste… everyone is such a nuisance."

He stroked the edges of his Miraculous almost lovingly. Inside was a picture of a lovely lady with long blonde hair and green eyes, although it was underneath the lid at the moment.

"I _will_ have those Miraculouses soon," he whispered to the brooch as if promising it.

* * *

"I'm off to school!" Marinette called out, tripping over her doorframe as she rushed to get to school on time.

"Stay safe!" her mother called after her, waving as her daughter took off down the street. She made it to school in record time.

Gasping, Marinette braced herself against the railing leading up the stairs to her high school. Sure, it was Monday and she was missing a good three days of her life from last week, but she couldn't be happier.

Adrien liked her.

Of course, since she had come back to her senses on Friday, she hadn't been able to see Adrien in her normal form until Monday. Despite her feelings of doubt and anxiety, she was still a little excited to see if he will say anything to her today.

Tikki fluttered out of her usual hiding spot in her purse which had been in her room just lying on her dresser Friday night. "Get yourself together, girl! He's coming!"

Sure enough, Adrien's car was pulling up to the curb. He leaped out of the car, his eyes seeking something in the morning crowd.

"Adrikins, my darling!" Chloe called out, waving eagerly as she approached him.

He dodged her pounce, heading straight for Marinette.

Nino and Alya elbow one another as if they both knew a secret. Alya winked at Marinette while Nino gave Adrien a thumbs-up.

Adrien stopped in front of Marinette, his cheeks slightly red. "I-I'm sorry for the things I said in the park," he apologized, glancing at her nervously. "I told you I liked someone else, and that was true…"

Marinette held her breath, waiting. She didn't dare speak just in case it might interrupt him.

"But the thing is, that person is Ladybug." He laughed self-consciously, rubbing the back of his head. "I'm pretty sure Ladybug wouldn't be interested in someone like me. Not only that, but ever since that day, I've realized there's someone else I like a little more than her."

At this point, Marinette couldn't speak even if she wanted to.

Adrien leaned forward, whispering, "Will you go out with me?"

She nodded, feeling as if the world was swaying. It wasn't until Adrien caught her and asked her what was wrong that she realized she had been holding her breath up until that moment.

He laughed at her. "Silly Marinette. No need to faint over me."

"Your charm is just too strong," she replied weakly, too dizzy to stumble over her words like usual.

He laughed, and the sound sent Marinette straight up to cloud nine.

* * *

 _A/N: I got way too excited to share this episode with the world. Haha!_

 _What will Adrien do now that Marinette has no memories of when she was akumatized? What about that nagging feeling she had had - the one where she knew where Hawkmoth was? Is all of that lost? What will Hawkmoth do now that he knows who Ladybug is?_


	6. The Materialist

_A/N: It's technically the next week, right...? I couldn't resist posting this as soon as my clock hit midnight. Enjoy!_

* * *

Episode Two: The Materialist

Part One

Marinette collapsed face-down into her pillows, squealing into the soft fabric. Tikki zoomed over her head, looking dazed.

"I can't believe it! He asked me out!" Marinette shouted, her voice muffled.

"Isn't it strange, though?" Tikki asked, uncertain. "Before you were akumatized, he had rejected you, but then suddenly he wants to go out with you?"

Marinette paused in her elated daydreaming, mulling over Tikki's words. She was right; before, Adrien had been nice to her, but he had never looked at her as more than a friend. What had changed, then?

A sense of dread crept over her. She chewed on her lip, wondering if she should ask him what had happened. But wait… Hadn't he helped _Ladybug_ when she was akumatized? Chat Noir had seen Marinette akumatized…

Chat Noir.

Marinette shot up from her bed, nearly hitting the floating kwami. "Chat Noir!"

Tikki frowned. Suddenly, her eyes widened. "Chat knew Marinette was akumatized…"

She had caught on to Marinette's thought process. "Chat might know who I am behind my mask," Marinette whispered, swallowing hard.

"Don't you have a patrol with him tonight?" Tikki asked.

Marinette nodded, a chill unrelated to the approaching winter coursing through her. "I guess… I'll have to ask - "

"No!" Tikki stopped her, shaking her head violently. "Let's wait and see. He might not know you have lost your memories."

 _And if I just rush and ask him, he may just play along to find out who I am…_ She shook her head. She didn't want to think the worst of Chat Noir, but she couldn't deny the possibility.

* * *

Adrien waited at their usual meeting spot, nervously twisting his tail. Earlier had been a gamble, but Marinette had said yes… Now to see if "Ladybug" would remember anything, too.

He just wanted to be certain that she hadn't lost all of her memories during that time; to think she would have forgotten finding out he was Adrien…

He sighed heavily, depressed by the mere thought.

"What's wrong, kitty?"

His ears perked up at her voice. Turning around, he grinned at Ladybug as she fiddled with her yo-yo.

"Just wondering if you'll forget about our date," he insinuated subtly, hoping beyond hope that she remembered who he was behind the mask.

She laughed, knocking her fist against his arm as she passed by. "Kind of hard to when I'm walking down the street. After all, your face is plastered all over Paris."

Hope blossomed in his chest. There was a chance; sure, Chat's face was all over the city, but so was Adrien's. Now to just figure out which she was talking about…

He waggled his eyebrows, grinning now. "Does this mean you'll do a special with me sometime in the near future?"

Ladybug chuckled. "Down, kitty. Shouldn't we be patrolling?"

Adrien rolled his eyes, mentally kicking himself. He shouldn't be so eager; if she really had forgotten, then his prying would only serve to push her away. Throughout the rest of the patrol, he tried to find other opportunities to subtly test her memory, but every time, her comments were either just vague enough or could be referring to either version of him. He decided to give up for now; after all, he had until that Friday to figure out if she remembered anything or not.

Back in his room later that night, Plagg stuffed himself with cheese as Adrien spun in his desk chair. "I don't think she remembers," he mumbled absently.

Plagg glanced at him. "An' wha' makshes you shink that?" he managed to get out from around two cheek-fulls of cheese.

"I don't know…" Adrien struggled to put into words his suspicion. "It almost felt like she was _dodging_ my questions."

Plagg gulped, clearing his mouth. "You could be asking her too many questions." He popped a piece of cheese in his mouth, moaning in the deliciousness of it. "Relax, dude. Don't rush it. If she remembers, she remembers."

Adrien tossed himself onto his bed. "Fine."

* * *

Marinette sighed heavily, exhausted as she collapsed onto her bed. Tikki, already munching on a cookie, floated up to her. "Don't you think Chat was acting odd tonight?" the little kwami asked.

Marinette frowned. She hadn't let it show on the patrol, but she had felt like her feline partner had been testing her in some way - and the questions he asked seemed a bit more prying than his usual chatter. "Maybe he was just concerned for me…"

The rest of the week went by smoothly. Adrien seemed to enjoy chatting with her over her sketchbook, and he even went so far as to help her with some of the designs she was having trouble with.

That Wednesday, Marinette met with Chat Noir underneath the Eiffel Tower for their usual patrol. She was slightly nervous, but he didn't ask her any prying questions this time - that is, until right before they went their separate ways for the night.

"LB, wait up," Chat stopped her, a troubled look in his eyes. "Listen, about last week…"

 _Oh no, here it is!_ Marinette fought her urge to stutter. "What about it?"

Chat actually _fidgeted_ , twirling his tail between his fingers as he avoided her gaze. "Well, I-I was wondering how you're doing. I know you weren't the one to purify the akuma because you were… you know… so I just wanted to make sure you're - "

"Wait." She stared at him, incredulous. "You think I'm going to revert back?"

He quickly shook his head. "No, that's not what I meant!"

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Then what _did_ you mean?"

"I-I-" he stammered, his eyes flitting around as if searching for a response. "Do you remember what had happened? Between us?"

Marinette froze. Had she done something? "Chat…"

His face crumpled as if his name had given him the answer. "Nevermind. I'm sorry, Ladybug… I-I thought you had remembered at least a little bit."

She didn't say anything as he leaped away into the night, leaving her with more questions than answers right then.

Friday came too quickly. During class, Adrien seemed kind of out of it, but when he asked Marinette to the movies that evening, she couldn't help but squeal in excitement with Alya when she managed to get her best friend alone. Later that evening, she tried to get a hold of Chat Noir to let him know that she wouldn't be able to make it to tonight's patrol, but he didn't seem to be available. Worried for her partner - he tended to do stupid stuff when she wasn't there to rein him in - she put on a cute top and pants before heading to the movie theatre.

Adrien met her at the entrance to the theatre and gave her a distracted smile. Marinette paused, asking him, "Are you okay, Adrien?"

He nodded. "You want some popcorn?"

Startled by the change in topic, she said, "Sure."

He paid for their drinks and snacks, refusing to let her buy her own. Once they found a comfortable seat in the theatre and the lights dimmed, Marinette became hyper-aware of her crush sitting beside her.

 _I'm on a date… with Adrien!_ She squealed inwardly, wishing she could blather to Tikki right now. However, her kwami was safely tucked inside her purse, staying out of sight. She still couldn't believe this was real.

"Popcorn?" Adrien offered, tilting the bowl towards her.

Marinette blushed, nodding mutely; she didn't dare say a word for fear she would stammer like an idiot. She plucked a few pieces from the bowl, chewing on them slowly as she stared at the movie playing in front of them.

* * *

Adrien glanced at her, sadness shooting through him as he remembered last Friday. _She doesn't remember,_ he confirmed, watching her red face as she tried her hardest to focus on the screen. _This feels almost as bad as when Ladybug had said she liked someone else…_

Sighing inaudibly, he reached for the popcorn at the same time that she did. Their fingers collided, nearly tangling in one another before Marinette jerked her hand back. "I-I'm so sorry. I was just - a piece - "

An idea coming to mind, he decided he wouldn't waste this opportunity. Flipping over his hand so his palm was facing upwards, he held it there as he watched her.

 _Take it,_ he willed her, wishing he could hold her hand like he had in his room last Friday - a moment in time that she no longer remembered.

Marinette glanced between his eyes and the outstretched fingers. If her cheeks could turn any more red, they just did as she linked her fingers with his, holding his hand throughout the movie. A little bit of the ache in his chest let up from their joined hands; maybe, just maybe, this would be enough for now.

A thought crossed his mind, though. A thought that made him suddenly happy she didn't know 'Adrien' was 'Chat Noir' quite yet.

* * *

A girl sitting several seats behind them bit into her jacket sleeve to keep from screaming in rage. That was _her_ Adrien, not that little tramp's! Who did she think she was, taking the prince of the modeling world from _her_ , his number one fan?

Giselda shot up from her seat, storming from the theater. She had hoped this had just been two friends hanging out, but after seeing Adrien holding her hand, she knew it was more that just a casual encounter.

"A piano should drop on her," she whispered, yet again wishing that what she imagined would come true.

Somewhere in the city, a large, circular metal shutter swirled open to reveal a stirring of white butterflies surrounding Hawk Moth. He smiled in dark pleasure, sensing the girl's anger.

"Ah, jealousy towards Marinette, who just happens to be Ladybug… Poor girl doesn't know the type of competition she is in. Maybe I shall help even the odds."

He held out his hand, and a white butterfly landed on it. He covered it, and the butterfly absorbed the dark energy of his power, fluttering towards the small opening in the glass pane.

"Fly away, my evil akuma, and help this poor girl awaken her darkest desires…"

The purple butterfly careened through the air, heading for the theater.

Giselda fingered the brooch on her shirt as she fumed in the theater's hallway. It was a simple gold design of a lotus flower. She exhaled sharply, thinking of all the nasty things she wanted to do to that girl sitting next to Adrien.

The little purple butterfly vanished into the brooch, turning it dark purple.

" _Hello, Materialist,_ " Hawk Moth said to her, grinning from his perch over Paris. " _I am Hawk Moth, and I have a proposition for you. Get Ladybug's and Chat Noir's Miraculouses for me, and in return, you can exact punishment on that impudent girl for taking away your precious Adrien._ "

"With pleasure," Giselda purred, her body consumed by the akuma's power as her mind succumbed to Hawk Moth's manipulation. When the Akuma's power finished sinking into her skin, she was wearing a bedazzled purple shirt and simple black pants with the word 'Adrien' stitched in purple running down her leg. Her blonde hair was now black with purple streaks, and her eyes were purple. She looked like she had done more than absorb the power; she looked as though she had fully accepted it and made it merge with herself.

* * *

Marinette gasped at the explosion on the screen, sinking farther back in her chair. Adrien chuckled, unable to help himself. Marinette glanced at him, frowning slightly.

"What?" she demanded self-consciously, suspecting he was laughing at her.

He looked at her with a glint in his green eyes. "You're just so cute to watch."

Marinette's breath caught in her throat, stopping her babbling response. _Cute. He thinks I'm cute! Ohmygosh, Tikki,_ Adrien _thinks I'm_ cute _!_

 _Boom_.

The theater trembled at the explosion near the entrance of the room. Marinette opened her eyes to find Adrien's arms wrapped around her, protecting her from the rubble. He gritted his teeth at the entrance.

"I'll go get help," he mumbled, darting out of the room before she could stop him.

Still dazed by Adrien's actions, Marinette glanced at the entrance to see a black-haired girl hold up her hand. A machine gun materialized on her shoulder.

Marinette's eyes widened. Again, she wondered what she had been like as an akumatized victim and if she had hurt anyone before her friends had stopped her.

The girl trained the gun on Marinette, her lip curling in a nasty, satisfying smile. "Adrien is mine, tramp," she snarled, pulling the trigger.

Something yanked her across the room. Her face was pressed tightly against a chest full of leather as Chat Noir ran his hands over her shoulders and arms as if looking for bullet holes. He sighed in relief. "That was a close call."

Marinette frowned. "How did you get here so fast, Chat Noir?"

He winked at her. "It's a secret." He kissed her hand lightly before standing up. "Just wait here, princess."

"Adrien - " Marinette started, suddenly worried for her date.

"Is fine," he completed, grinning. "Don't worry, Marinette. I got this covered."

She stared after him, dumbfounded. Why had Chat Noir suddenly developed an interest in _her_ out of all people? She needed to help him. Glancing around, she said, "I'll try to go out the - watch out!"

On reflex, she pulled Chat Noir to the side, landing in a heap on top of him as the bullets from that monstrous machine gun ricocheted off the walls. He blinked, dazed, but then grinned up at her. "I didn't know you liked it on top."

"Get your mind out of the gutter," she muttered, making sure to elbow him good as she got up.

"Watch out, Marinette!" He cried, yanking her onto the floor and shielding her with his spinning pole.

One of the bullets slipped by, grazing his cheek. He winced, cradling Marinette against his chest. "Time to leave," he muttered, gritting his teeth in the semblance of a pained smile. "Hold on tight, Princess."

She barely had time to wrap her arms around his neck before he raced out the room, escaping the raging akumatized girl. Before she knew it, they were on the roof. He gently set her down on her feet.

She touched Chat Noir's cheek lightly. "You're hurt…" she breathed, frowning slightly. "Don't you need to treat that?"

He shook his head, but then winced. "Ah… probably."

"Take me to my place," she found herself ordering. "I can doctor it for you."


	7. Cheese and a Locket

_A/N: I couldn't help it. I got really excited after seeing how many people have followed my story. Enjoy! Let me know what you think! I'm currently rewriting the third 'episode' to make it longer (the word count for that whole section came up a bit short) while slowly posting the parts to this second episode._

* * *

The Materialist: Part Two

Adrien waited on Marinette's roof, fingering the leather tail of his Miraculous. He thought back on how his date with Marinette hadn't ended the way he had planned; he had wanted to give her a goodnight kiss at her doorstep, and then offer to take her out again the following weekend…

"I'm back!" Marinette cheerfully said, smiling at him. A first-aid kit is tucked underneath her arm.

Adrien smiled at her tiredly, the deep sadness prodding him like the incessant chill of winter. Despite the date not going how he had intended, he wouldn't trade this moment - even if his lady didn't remember the significance behind it.

As she doctored his face, he murmured, "Thank you."

She paused, watching him in concern. "Are you feeling all right, Chat Noir? You're not your usual self right now."

He smirked, but this time, he couldn't help the bitter tone it gave his voice. "I'll be fine."

She put a bandaid on his chin, covering the scratch. "You can tell me," she said as she packed up the first aid kit. "I won't tell anyone. Promise."

"Marinette…" he breathed. She looked up at him. Suddenly, he was overcome with the urge to kiss her. He wrapped his hands gently around her wrists, stopping her movements.

He leaned forward, watching her eyes widen as he toyed with the idea of pressing his lips against hers. Deciding against it, he bypassed her face and rested his forehead on her shoulder. "Just… let me rest for a moment."

He held her wrists in his hands - enough to maintain a grip, but not enough to restrain her. If she tried to pull away, he would let her.

But she didn't.

After a few seconds of silence, Marinette whispered, "What happened?"

He laughed hoarsely. The irony behind those two words were priceless; after all, _she_ was the cause of his pain, yet she didn't even know it - to an extent, anyway. He couldn't keep it in anymore, though; these last few days have been horrible on him. "A girl. Brave, courageous, and beautiful - and totally oblivious to me."

"Ladybug?" Marinette whispered.

 _You got it,_ he thought, smiling into her shoulder where she couldn't see the tears welling in his eyes. _I guess you're more observant than I'd presumed._ "She knows the me behind the mask and seems to like that version. I wonder if she likes Chat Noir, too. I'm only ever truly myself when I'm with Ladybug as Chat Noir, but… if she found out my real identity, would she still want to be my friend?"

His voice cracked on the end. He knew he was giving away too much; he could tell by the way her breath caught when he had said she knew him without the mask. He also knew he was being a bit unreasonable; she had accepted him the moment he had shown her his true identity a week ago. However, he couldn't shake off the feeling that he didn't know how she felt about 'Chat,' the _real_ side of him. He wanted Marinette's - not Ladybug's - honest opinion, and this might just be the only time he would ever get it when she didn't know his true identity.

She pulled out of his grip. He tensed, ready to move away at the slightest bit of rejection on her part. However, he was startled when her hand stroked his hair, soothing him. "I'm sure she doesn't hate you, Chat," she breathed. "If she did, she wouldn't want to partner with you."

His arms wrapped loosely around Marinette's waist. He heard the soft warning beep from his ring signifying he only had five more minutes left on his disguise. "Thank you, Marinette."

She pulled away, twisting around to look at his ring. "You need to go, don't you?"

He smiled at her, suddenly exhausted. "Yeah, but… I don't know if I can make it home before I run out of time. Can I stay here and recharge before leaving?"

Marinette blinked, surprised. "But… that means you'll be showing me your true identity."

"Only if you peek." He pointed at the door leading down into her room. "I just need some cheese - preferably camembert if you have any - and about five minutes."

A giggle burst out of her. "Is that your recharge food? Gross."

He blushed. "Y-yeah. Something like that."

Marinette patted him on the top of the head. "Don't worry. I'll get you some cheese. Just wait here."

He waited. In less than three minutes, she was back, handing over the cheese. She gave him a smile. "If there's anything else I can do, just let me know, Chat Noir."

 _Stop her,_ an inner voice screamed at him. It almost sounded like Plagg's, but he knew his kwami couldn't talk to him while he was transformed. _Stop her before she leaves. Tell her the truth; tell her you know she is Ladybug and that she is in love with your other self._

The door shut. Adrien stared at it, still rooted to the spot as his transformation slowly faded away and Plagg popped out.

"You _idiot_!" he instantly roared as quietly as the feline kwami could muster at a time like this. "You could have told her. She was _right here_! Go down there! Explain to her what happened when she was akumatized!"

Adrien shook his head as he held the cheese out, careful not to inhale too deeply. It wasn't camembert, but it also wasn't one of his favorites. "If I tell her, then I won't have the chance to find out if she likes _me_ , Plagg. I know she likes this version - " He gestured to his civilian clothes and unmasked face. "But I need to know if she likes Chat Noir, too."

Plagg chomped on the cheese, unhappy about the situation. "You're still an idiot," he grumbled around a mouthful. "You should go apologize or something before you leave."

In about five minutes, Plagg was back to full strength. Adrien transformed into Chat Noir and knocked on the door leading down into Marinette's room; no answer. Chewing on his lip, he finally made a decision and hopped down into the room.

It was much smaller than his own, but it felt much more like a bedroom than his did. He noticed posters of his modeling products on the wall near her desk and smiled. Yep, she was a fan, all right.

Marinette was sprawled out on her bed on top of the covers, a book drooping from her fingers as she dozed. Adrien paused, surprised; she must have been exhausted to fall asleep so fast. She hadn't even stirred when he had landed silently next to her on the bed.

He pulled the covers over her, smiling gently at her relaxed face. Why was he so upset that she preferred 'Adrien' over 'Chat Noir'? They were both him, and his real form was more permanent than his Miraculous form. There shouldn't be anything to be concerned with.

He kissed her forehead, resting his hands briefly on either side of her as he whispered almost inaudibly, "Sleep well, mi'lady."

* * *

The next morning, Marinette shot up in bed, instantly thinking she was late for school - and then remembering it was the weekend. Slumping back in bed, she groggily glanced down to see she was still dressed in what she had worn to the theater with Adrien.

She gasped. "Adrien!" She fumbled around, searching for her phone and quickly calling him.

"Hello?" a groggy voice mumbled over the line.

Relief washed through Marinette, quickly followed by embarrassment and guilt. "I-I'm sorry, Adrien. Did I wake you? I was just worried because of what happened…"

"Oh, hey, Marinette," he greeted, his voice sounding clearer but still sleepy. "How are you? You didn't get hurt, did you?"

"No." She glanced out the window at the bustling city. "How about you?"

"Just a scratch." She heard him yawn. "Oh, I want to show you something. Would you like to meet me in the mall plaza in an hour? We can get breakfast together."

Butterflies couldn't explain the cartwheels her stomach was doing. "Yes!" she squeaked, and he hung up. She leaped out of bed and grabbed a quick shower, getting ready in record timing. She tossed back an excuse to her parents as she rushed out the door, eager to see what Adrien had planned.

She stood near the fountain in the mall plaza, anxiously waiting for Adrien. Tikki poked her head out, beaming at Marinette. "This is so exciting! A second date in just two days!"

"I wonder what he has to show me!" Marinette exclaimed, nearly bouncing in excitement.

"Whatever it is, it _has_ to be good!" Tikki closed her eyes and bobbed her head in happiness. "Just don't forget the akumatized person we met yesterday. She seemed to be pretty mad at you, Marinette."

"Don't worry, I will," she reassured her kwami. Clicking her purse closed again, she glanced around just in time to see Adrien strolling towards her, his hands filled with coffee and paper bags.

"Good morning," he greeted her with a grin, offering her a coffee and a bag. "Here."

She hesitantly took it, sipping at the cup. She hummed at the taste. "Delicious!" Peeking inside the bag, she smiled at the muffin. "You weren't kidding about having breakfast together."

He perched on the edge of the fountain. "Of course not." When she looked at him, she noticed the small scratch on his face.

On reflex, she reached out and touched it. "What happened?"

"Just a nick from the rubble." He took a bite out of his muffin while watching her. "What do you think of Chat Noir and Ladybug?"

"W-what?" she stammered, her smile glued to her face as she carefully set her coffee down before she dropped it. She laughed mechanically. "They're Paris's heroes and pretty cool. What about them?"

He stared over the crowd, not looking at her. "It's nothing." He pulled something out of his pocket and handed it to her. "Here."

She held out her hand, and he dropped something into it. She gasped at the pretty locket before looking at Adrien. "This looks way too valuable. I can't - "

"Look inside it."

She carefully opened the locket, seeing a picture of Adrien's mother on the inside. She looked very much like him with fine blonde hair, green eyes, and a radiant smile. "Beautiful," Marinette whispered, enamored.

"It used to be my mom's," Adrien began quietly as he took it back from her. His thumb ran over the picture before he clicked the locket shut. He slipped it over his neck, tucking it underneath his shirt. "It's the only thing I have left to remind me what she looks like. I… don't really show anyone it. Anytime I have a shoot, I hide it."

Marinette watched him, unsure why he was telling her this. He noticed her curious glance and smiled slightly. "When I woke up this morning, I realized I hadn't looked at her photo since last week."

Marinette stopped breathing for a brief moment, her thoughts racing. Last week… last week, she had been akumatized. Last week, Adrien had rejected her feelings - and then came back and told her he liked her.

Before she could say anything, he offered his hand to her. "Want to walk around a bit?"

She nodded shyly, taking his hand. Her head swirled as she mentally freaked out in excitement over holding Adrien's hand but mulled over her lost memories about the previous week. He smiled at her, and she felt like she was going to melt.

"Stop. Right. There."

They looked up to see the girl from last night hovering above them on what looked like a board with jets. She flicked her raven hair over her shoulder and glared at Marinette. "Get your filthy hands off him, baker's daughter."

Marinette took a deep breath to tell this girl off, but Adrien stepped in front of her. "Why are you following us?" he demanded. Marinette had to give him credit; his voice didn't tremble once.

Her enraged expression melted into one of pure adoration. "I love you, Adrien. I don't mind if you date, just - " She jabbed her finger at Marinette. "Not _her_. She's not worthy of your attention."

"Run," he breathed.

Marinette barely caught the word, but the intent was clear. "No way, Adrien," she hissed. "She can materialize guns! We need to leave together."

"She won't hurt me. You're another story, though. Go!" He pushed her away.

She gave him one last glance before darting around a corner. "Tikki, spots on!"

The transformation wasn't quick enough for Marinette's liking. Within seconds, she was in her tight suit with her yo-yo strapped to her waist. She sprinted out of her hiding space, glaring at the girl now focused entirely on what Adrien was saying.

"... go with you, just leave Marinette alone!"

She giggled triumphantly. "Good choice, Adrien." She looked over Adrien's shoulder to spot Marinette in her Ladybug outfit. Her expression darkened as if she had showed up as herself in civilian clothes instead, sending a chill down her spine. "I won't let you interfere, Ladybug."

Adrien turned around, his eyes wide and hopeful. He smiled at her - _really_ smiled - and it twisted her heart. Adrien hadn't smiled like that to Marinette.

The outline of a butterfly formed around the girl's face, signifying Hawk Moth communicating with her. A memory flashed through Marinette's mind of gripping a cylindrical item in her hand, craving an escape from the pain of being rejected. Hawk Moth had provided her with that escape in the form of being able to take away emotions.

Marinette gripped her yo-yo tightly, her hands shaking. "Run, Adrien," she ordered, glaring at the girl with raw anger. Not anger at the girl specifically, but at the man behind her, controlling her like a puppet. "Who are you?"

"The Materialist," the girl said in a haughty voice as Adrien escaped around a corner and disappeared. "What are you doing here, Ladybug?"

"I'm here to stop you," she snapped, irritated. She spun her yo-yo, preparing herself for the first attack. "You shouldn't go breaking up people's dates, you know. It's rude."

"Indeed." She turned to see Chat Noir crouching on top of his extended baton. He winked at her. "Good morning, mi'lady. I haven't seen you in a while."

Ladybug turned away from him. "This isn't time for games, Chat."

He sighed wistfully. "Oh, the games I want to play with you, mi'lady…"

Materialist snorted in disgust. "Just get a room already." She grinned wickedly, holding her arms wide. "Better yet, I'll give you one."

Suddenly, they were encased in a plush room with red walls and a heart-shaped bed. There was even a red, heart-shaped jacuzzi in the corner. The floor and tiles were black and accented by little red hearts here and there.

"Ugh." Marinette wrinkled her nose as she glanced around. No doors or windows. How were they supposed to get out of this one?!

"Hmm… purr-fectly comfy."

She turned around to see Chat Noir stretching languidly across the bed, smiling seductively at her. He patted the comforter in front of him. "Join me?"


	8. The Fake

_A/N: I love flirty Chat Noir. I've been working on Episode Three: Truth Serum, and I can't help but squeal in excitement. Because of all that hyped-up tension (no help from the mimosa pound cake I made earlier), I decided to post another chapter at midnight... again._

* * *

The Materialist: Part Three

Marinette huffed, placing her hands on her hips. "This is no time for playing around, Chat Noir! We're _stuck_ in here until we figure out - "

He was suddenly in front of her, his finger pressing against her lips. "Don't say anything," he whispered, his fingers deftly plucking her yo-yo out of her grip.

She watched him with wide eyes, unable to move from his bold move. "Chat - "

He yanked her against him. The unbreakable strings of her yo-yo wrapped around them, trapping them together.

"What. Are. You. Doing?" She demanded quietly, her teeth grinding together. Her palms pressed flat against his chest, attempting to push away from him; she tried not to notice the firm muscles underneath the black suit. She _tried._

Chat Noir smiled at her innocently, wrapping his arm around her waist as he casually flicked his wrist upwards. The yo-yo sailed towards the ceiling, catching on something. "Getting us out of here, mi'lady."

Their sudden upwards momentum had her clinging to him to keep from falling. His arm constricted around her waist, holding her tightly as they burst through the ceiling as if it was paper. They landed on the ground outside of a room-sized box.

"Here you go, mi'lady," Chat Noir murmured, handing over her yo-yo.

"Thanks, Chat…" She gave him a curious look as he released her. "How did you even know about that?"

He tapped his fake ears. "I heard the difference in the sound by the way our voices were echoing. It sounded almost like paper."

She tapped his bell. It jangled softly. "Smart kitty."

He gave her a wide grin. "Only for you, mi'lady." He bowed extravagantly, his face tilted down longer than usual.

A snigger behind them had Marinette looking up at the Materialist. "So what if you found my weakness?" she challenged, grinning recklessly. "It's not like you could stop me, anyway! Take this!"

Suddenly, two round balls fell from the sky. They dodged out of the way, but the balls merely splattered over the ground, drenching them in colorful goo. Marinette tried to wipe some of it off, but it stuck to her hands. By the time she looked up, Materialist was gone.

"This is one sticky situation," Chat Noir pointed out, trying to look cool next to her while wiggling his foot underneath a pile of goo.

Marinette rolled her eyes. "Enough with the puns, Chat. We need to go after her."

He nodded. "I have an idea. Cataclysm!" he cried, and his claws gained a dark, sickly color around them. He moved to slash at the chunk over his feet, but Marinette noticed a glimmer in some of the goo to the right of him.

"Wait," she quickly stopped him, pointing at it the best she she could with her gooey hands. "Cut _that_ one."

He stared at her, dubious. "You _do_ realize that one isn't attached to me, right?"

"You remember how the ceiling had been the weak spot?" she said. "And then she had commented on us finding it. She wasn't talking about the support; she was talking about how all of her creations have weak spots. That must be the one for this goo. It looks different than the rest."

"Got it." He reached forward and raked his claws across the gooey surface. It corroded away. As soon as all of it was gone, the rest of the goo vanished without a trace.

Chat Noir sauntered towards her, lifting her hand and kissing it lightly. "Such a wonderful plan, mi'lady."

"Paws off, kitty," Marinette chastised lightly, but her giggle belied her amusement.

"Shall we chase after her?" He motioned towards the general direction of the Materializer.

Suddenly, what she had been doing before sprang to mind. Her date with Adrien! Of course! She needed to make sure he was okay. "I-I'm sorry, Chat, but I have someone waiting on me," she explained, heading towards an empty, secluded spot to change back.

Chat Noir followed her. "Wait! Ladybug - "

She smiled at him regretfully. "Meet me tonight around seven at the tower? We can start there."

Just as she turned away, he grabbed her arm. She watched him open his mouth and close it several times, almost saying whatever it was and then stopping. "See you then," he whispered, and then walked away.

She found a secluded spot and called out, "Tikki, spots off."

Her little kwami appeared in front of her after her clothes return to normal. "Don't you think Chat Noir was acting a little strange just now?" she immediately chirped.

Marinette crossed her arms and placed a finger on her chin. "Come to think of it, Adrien has been acting odd recently, too. I really need to figure out what happened when I was akumatized." She tapped her chin, mulling over yet again her suspicion. "Chat Noir knows more than one person can't be akumatized at once. Maybe he really does know my real identity?"

Tikki immediately shook her head. "Then what about Adrien? You were in your Ladybug form when you were de-akumatized."

Marinette leaned forward, her arms hanging limply. "I don't know, Tikki. It's just all so weird." She straightened up. "I'll ask Chat Noir tonight."

* * *

Adrien leaned against the wall, gritting his teeth. He couldn't do it; he couldn't ask her what she remembered of being akumatized. It obviously wasn't of him being Adrien Agreste, though, because she hadn't turned to him and asked, "Want to continue our date?"

His ring beeped out a warning, alerting that he had one minute remaining on the transformation. He ignored it, remembering Ladybug's expectant bluebell eyes staring at him when he had floundered for words - the same as Marinette's.

 _How had I not seen it before?_ His fist weakly tapped against the wall in a mock-punch just as his form melded away and he returned to his normal appearance. _She_ is _the same person. The one who has sat behind me in class all this time._

He knew intuitively that she would be asking him about her akumatized state later. He needed to come up with some excuse before then; she would probably be embarrassed and maybe even angry that he knew her real identity and hadn't told her.

 _Wait, why would that be a bad thing?_

"I'm so hungry…" Plagg whined, drooping in mid-air.

"Plagg," Adrien quietly started, "I… think I'll tell Ladybug."

 _This_ got the kwami's attention. "Tell her what?" he asked, alarmed.

Adrien steeled himself. "That I know she's Marinette." He leaned against the wall. "I'm tired of trying to hide it from her - at least as Chat Noir."

Plagg sighed. "I guess there's no other way around it… You gonna tell her tonight?"

He opened his mouth to confirm, but suddenly, Plagg dove into his shirt. Marinette walked around the corner only a second later, a concerned look on her face. "Oh! Here you are!" she said cheerfully, grinning at him in relief. "I was looking everywhere for you. It looks like that girl is gone."

"I think I know who she is…" Adrien grumbled, a disgruntled look crossing his face. "Giselda, my self-dubbed number one fan. She goes to a lot of my shootings and I know she has tried to follow me in the past, but I never thought she would go this far…"

Marinette placed her hand on his shoulder, giving him a reassuring smile. "We'll figure it out," she said confidently, squeezing gently. "Before then, though, did you still want to walk around…?"

Adrien glanced at the hand on his shoulder and then met her gaze. Something clicked inside his mind, something that hadn't fit together until now. Ladybug was brave, courageous, smart, and creative with whatever she was given. Marinette was the same - only she didn't have to wear a mask and save the city.

 _Our Miraculous only enhances what is already there,_ he thought, giving her a bright smile. _Marinette is my Ladybug just as much as Ladybug is a part of Marinette. They're the same deep down; one of them just happens to wear a mask._

"Of course. Let's go."

* * *

Marinette's heart nearly burst at the blinding smile he gave her - one even better than all of the ones he had ever given her as Ladybug. She fumbled over her words and tripped over her feet several times, but Adrien just chuckled and helped her. The most embarrassing, though, was when they were walking by a store that sold masks. Adrien dragged her inside, but despite her fears, he put a black mask and ears on her, saying in dramatic surprise, "You're Chat Noir!"

She looked in a mirror. Two black ears protruded from the black headband that blended in with her hair, and the mask conformed to her face. She winked devilishly at him and purred, "Ah, cat's out of the bag. What are you going to do about it?"

He laughed, tears springing to his eyes. "That was purr-fect!" he punned back, not noticing Marinette's bright red face.

She fumbled for the nearest mask on the shelf, still mortified that she had made a Chat Noir joke at Adrien. _If he found out, I'd never hear the end of it!_ She shoved the mask on Adrien to distract herself, not noticing until it was too late that it was a Ladybug's costume mask. He snorted in laughter when he looked at himself in the mirror.

"I guess we'll be partners, then," he said, grinning lopsidedly at her. A light shined in his eyes, nearly challenging her.

It surprised her into replying, "Yeah! Partners!" She pumped her fist. "Pound it!" Suddenly realizing what she had done, she quickly waved her hands in front of her. "I mean - "

"Pffft." He covered his mouth, trying to hold back yet another laugh. "That was perfect." He took off the Ladybug mask but stared at her in the Cat Noir set. "I'll get that one for you."

Marinette touched the fake ears lightly, blushing. "Oh, I couldn't…"

He gave her yet another blinding grin that left her speechless. "To make up for our ruined breakfast earlier."

Later that afternoon, Marinette stared at the mask in bliss. _Adrien gave me a gift!_ She hummed happily to herself as she transformed into Ladybug and leapt from her rooftop, quickly making her way across the town.

Halfway to the famous tower, something struck the back of her head. Her vision went black.

* * *

Adrien tapped his foot, fingering his leather tail worriedly. _Ladybug is late,_ he mused, wondering what her hold up was. _She's almost never late._

Someone above him laughed. He whirled around, craning his head upward to see Materialist dangling someone over the edge of the tower.

Marinette stared down at the plummet, tears gathering in her eyes. Her mouth was duct taped and her hands and legs were tied so that she couldn't move or speak.

Adrien grit his teeth, hissing at Materialist. His ears flattened against his head. "Let her go!" He growled.

"Oh-ho, is this little tramp two-timing my dear Adrien?" Materialist cajoled, swinging her wrist. A muffled shriek came from Marinette as she began swinging.

A fire raged within Adrien. He had tolerated Giselda's actions - always short of stalking - because of her adoration for him and respect for his privacy. However, this… This went way too far. He charged at the Eiffel Tower.

Materialist cackled. "Catch her, kitty cat."

She dropped Marinette.

" _No!_ "

He climbed the tower, a blur to anyone watching. He leaped outwards, catching Marinette and cradling her to his chest as they tumbled to the ground.

He took the majority of the damage, wincing as he was crushed from both sides. Gasping for air, he struggled to sit up and check on Marinette.

As soon as her hands were free and the duct tape was gone, she snapped at him, "What were you _thinking_? You could have gotten seriously injured!"

"I couldn't let you fall," he gasped. "Let me up."

She scooted off to the side, allowing him to stand. He looked up at Materialist as he draped an arm over Marinette's shoulders, supporting himself. Her bluebell eyes widened as he leaned on her; he was pretty sure he had a broken rib or two.

Materialist looked furious but not concerned. She grinned wickedly, raising her hand to point a single finger up even higher. "So you saved her, but will you be able to save your partner, too?"

Confused, Adrien followed her finger up - and froze. Ladybug was tied to the outside of a support beam, dangling over the edge. She glared down defiantly at Materialist before she shouted, "Don't listen to her! I'll be fine!"

Materialist made no move to shut her up.

Adrien glanced between Ladybug and Marinette, utterly confused. _One of them isn't real_ , he realized, examining the one in front of him more closely - after all, the one dangling over Paris was a bit too far away to question.

Marinette's smile trembled slightly. "Go save her," she whispered, glancing at Ladybug. "I'll be fine."

Her bluebell eyes were clear - containing none of that fiery spark that he loved so much.

He stepped away from her, his expression flattening. She stared at him, confused. "You're the fake," he said in a monotone, examining her closely. Sure enough, her weak spot was…

He struck her neck with two fingers - a move that might have knocked someone else out. However, as the girl collapsed, her form dissipated.

Adrien turned to glare at Materialist. "You messed up," he yelled, cracking his knuckles. "You see, Marinette isn't some timid girl who would sit on the sidelines."

"I'll just have to do better next time," Materialist snarled.

"There won't _be_ a next time." Adrien flicked out his baton, rapidly extending it. He shot past Materialist, heading straight for Ladybug - and, hopefully, the _real_ Marinette.

* * *

 _A/N: I'll admit... I originally wanted to end this chapter when the Materialist had dropped Marinette. However, I'm evil enough of a writer in later episodes (and in my own original writing), so I decided not to do that - this time._

 _Today has been a crazy-relaxed day of reading a ton of fanfic while on the couch, typing_ Episode 3: Truth Serum _, and making mimosa pound cake. I've needed this day off for a_ while _; my work schedule can get pretty hectic_ _. Enjoy part three of the second episode..._


	9. Two Sides of the Same Coin

_*squeals excitedly at seeing she has 30 followers* Ohmygosh, it hasn't even been that long since I posted the first chapter! Wow! I'm so happy you all really like this fanfic. Though I should be thanking my good friend and beta reader of my original story for convincing me to post this fic to the site... Quite honestly, I would have just let it all sit in Google Docs, leaving it only for our three sets of eyes if it wasn't for her recommendation._

 _I updated my profile page information on myself if anyone wants to check it out. I know I've been kind of scarce in that regard... I just haven't known what to write until now!_

 _In celebration of several happy things happening today - launching my account and finalizing two chapters of my book for the site, for example - I want to post part four! Maybe part five if I'm feeling up to it... I actually only got two and a half hours of sleep last night... I don't know how I'm still awake right now. I really, really don't._

 _Anyways, enjoy!_

* * *

The Materialist: Part Four

Marinette stared at Chat Noir, having seen the whole thing. A swirl of emotions cascaded through her. Why had he acted so desperately to save Marinette? What was up with the confused glance between her and the fake, almost as if he had not been expecting two of them to be there? How had he even known that Marinette was a fake?

Chat Noir came to a stop in front of her, his clawed hands flicking out and cutting the ropes. Before she could fall, he caught her and pulled her onto the ledge beside where she had been held hostage. He hugged her tightly, burying his nose into one of her pigtails. She awkwardly patted his back as he breathed raggedly.

"Are you okay?" he asked, desperate. His hands, gently gripping her upper arms, trembled a little bit. "She didn't hurt you, did she?"

Marinette stared at him in amazement. _Me? It's more like_ him _. I'm surprised he's not bleeding internally._ "How did you know she was a fake?" she asked shakily.

A strange expression crossed his face. "We can talk about that later; let's take care of _her_ first."

They both looked down in time to see Materialist whispering to herself. Suddenly, a gale whipped by them, nearly sending them hurtling off of their ledge.

Marinette clung to a metal support, but she was surprised when Chat Noir wrapped his arms around her waist. " _What_ are you doing?" she demanded, a little more irritated now.

He smiled weakly, looking like he was in pain. "Holding on. It hurts less to hold you than a metal bar right now."

Worry flashed through her, although she knew she couldn't do anything about it right now. As soon as the wind died down, she tossed her yo-yo upwards, yelling, "Lucky Charm!"

A mirror dropped into her hands. Chat Noir snorted. "Didn't know looks were _that_ important," he managed to wheeze as he leaned heavily against the metal side of the tower.

Marinette gritted her teeth, preparing a comeback, when a slight shift of her hand caused the sun to reflect directly into her eyes. "That's it!" she cried, grinning. She looked down at the Materialist still whispering to herself.

Tying the yo-yo around herself, she told Chat Noir, "I need your help. Use Cataclysm on the rails beneath her feet once I get next to her."

He leaned forward, obviously in pain. She winced inwardly. _Yup, looks like broken ribs._ She promised to herself to try to make this up to him somehow later; right now, though, she dropped herself down to the ledge the Materialist is on.

The Materialist smirked at her. "What do you think you can do with your only weapon tied around your waist?" she taunted. "You know, it could be so easy to - hey!"

Marinette grinned as she blinded the girl and then showed her her reflection. She screamed in horror at her own looks before the beams underneath them collapsed. Chat Noir landed a few feet away, urgently crying, "Her brooch! It's in her brooch!"

Without thinking, Marinette's hand snapped out and closed around the brooch in one swift movement. She slammed the beautiful piece into the side of the tower, effectively breaking it before releasing herself from her yo-yo to catch the little black butterfly.

"No more evil-doing for you, little akuma. Time to de-evilize!" Her yo-yo snapped around, snatching the butterfly in one sweep. It opened, and a white butterfly fluttered away. "Bye-bye, little butterfly."

The girl in front of her lost her akumatized form to expose blonde hair and a nice, fancy outfit getting dirty on the support beams of the Eiffel Tower. Marinette tossed the mirror into the air. "Miraculous Ladybug!" she cried, and watched in satisfaction as everything repaired itself.

She lowered herself and Giselda to the ground as Chat Noir sank to his knees, his pole retracting. Both of their Miraculouses beeped out their times.

"Ladybug - "

"Chat - "

They stared at one another. "I need to talk to you," Chat Noir said first, his expression turning secretive. "I'll meet you at your place later tonight."

Marinette nodded, but then stopped. She paled. "So… you _do_ know who I am, then."

He smirked, but it looked almost sad. "Yeah," he whispered, not looking at her. "I… kept your secret because you wanted me to, but I can't do it anymore without knowing how much you remember."

 _Something had happened between us._ This was the only explanation Marinette could think of right then and there. "All right," she said shakily. "I'll see you later tonight."

He nodded, limping off. He didn't seem as injured as before the fight - her Lucky Charm's magical recovery phase must have helped a bit - although he might still have some bruises. She hoped he made it back all right.

She managed to make it halfway home before she reverts back, and she slipped in through the back door of her bakery. Collapsing on her chaise, she groaned loudly as Tikki immediately dug into the stash of cookies Marinette tried to keep on hand for the kwami. "I'm so screwed."

"Why do you say that?" Tikki asked around a mouthful.

"Because Chat Noir now knows my real identity!" Marinette wailed. "That has to be it. There's no other excuse. Not only that, but he loves Ladybug, and I… I can't return those feelings."

"Just meet with him," Tikki encouraged. "No harm out of that. He may just want to make sure you're okay and not about to akumatize again."

Marinette smiled at her. "Thanks, Tikki. That helps me feel better." She wrapped her arms around herself. "I think I'm just nervous because I don't have my mask to hide behind anymore…"

"Ah, is that why you're always so courageous with me?" a lilting voice asked flirtatiously from the trap door leading to her roof.

Marinette's head whipped around to stare at Chat Noir peering in, grinning from behind his black leather mask. "How did you get here so quick?" is the first question that popped out.

"I shoved the cheese into my kwami's mouth." He dropped into the room, wincing as his bruised ribs moved.

Marinette automatically shifted over and patted the spot next to her. "Sit down; you're still injured. Do you want anything to drink?"

He smiled painfully. "I would love to, but I've already troubled you enough… plus, my kwami will need more food soon."

An idea came to mind - a silly one, but it might just work. "If you're not going to show me your real identity, then you could always wear these while we talk so your kwami can still recharge," Marinette offered, handing over the costume Chat Noir mask and ears.

He stared at them, blinking in surprise. "These are…"

She suddenly realized how this might look. After all, they were for the Chat Noir costume. Her cheeks turned a little pink. "M-my date earlier got them for me because he thought I looked cute in them."

"Adrien Agreste," he breathed. Again, Marinette was startled by how much he knew. "We're… friends," he said at her stunned expression, smiling wryly as he held up the mask. "I'll hang onto this for now. Some water sounds nice."

When she stepped back into the room, Chat Noir was still in his transformed state. He lounged on his back on the chaise, staring curiously at Tikki who ranted over someone named "Plagg."

"He does exactly that," Chat piped in. "He will eat _all_ the cheese and then hide somewhere to sleep. Sometimes, the only way I can find him is by taunting him with more of that disgusting cheese." He wrinkled his nose as if the very thought of it revolted him.

Marinette giggled. She had actually brought up some of that 'disgusting cheese' for his kwami in case it wanted it. "Your kwami sounds like a handful."

Tikki spluttered, "Plagg is lazy, narcissistic - "

"Over-indulgent and irresponsible?" Chat finished, fighting to hold back a grin. "You said that the first time you saw him, too."

Tikki and Marinette fell silent at this; they both stared at him. _That means I had known his real identity_ , Marinette thought, stunned once again.

Chat Noir scratched the side of his face, realizing his mistake. "Well… I know you don't remember, Marinette, because you haven't done or said much to me since then."

The image of Chat Noir handing over an earring to her flashed through her mind. She rubbed her forehead. "I… get flashes," she admitted slowly, still finding it weird that there had been a time when she had known Chat Noir's real identity. "I think it was right after I was akumatized… I remember holding a tube in my hand and taking back my earring, but not much else. Sorry."

He smiled bitterly. "Figures. It's okay, though. I kind of like having this chance to know the real you without the influence of you knowing my true identity." He flexed his gloved fingers. "I feel free right now; nothing like when I don't have this mask on."

Marinette slowly sat on the chaise next to him. He merely stared at his glove, entranced by the leather. Marinette put her hand over his and smiled at his startled expression.

"The way you put it, we must know one another - without the masks, I mean," she said, and he nodded mutely. "You won't tell me?"

He paused before shaking his head. "It's my turn to act a little selfish," he said, flashing her a grin. "I want to know what you think of me as Chat Noir before you find out my real identity."

Marinette frowned at this, reminded of her own identity. She grew a little uncertain. "Aren't you disappointed?" she asked.

"At what?"

"Me." She gestured at herself. "I'm clumsy, get tongue-tied easily, don't like conflict, and can't stand petty people."

"You're also brave and courageous when you need to be," he pointed out, "such as all those times you've stood up to Chloe or saved your friends as your true identity. Don't put yourself down so hard, Marinette; the mask just helps you focus on the good aspects of yourself."

She eyed him, wondering where this philosophical, knowledgeable cat had come from. "And you're full of puns, witty comments, and flirtatious moves on the inside?"

He grinned mischievously, putting his hands behind his head and staring at her. "I also get to do what I want, when I want, and how I want - all things I've never been able to do before because they weren't expected of me."

Marinette chewed on her lip, contemplating this. "So… you're saying that Chat Noir is the real you?"

"It's _part_ of the real me," he said truthfully, sitting up to stare into her eyes as he grabbed her hands. "Just like you shouldn't put yourself down about being Ladybug. Ladybug is as much a part of you as the klutz you are at school - which, by the way, is adorable." He grinned at her, winking.

Marinette blushed furiously, pulling her hands out of his. She picked up her sketchbook and began doodling as a distraction.

He blinked at her and then laughed. Leaning back, he asked, "Do you mind if I stay here a bit longer? I'm sure I'll just get questioned to no end at my house if I go home with bruised ribs."

"Sure," she mumbled, her face still red. Every single flirtation he had done flashed through her mind, and she had to keep her face from turning into a cherry.

Chat Noir stretched out next to her, the tips of his ears brushing against the side of her leg. He yawned as he slipped on the costume mask over his own. "Just in case," he muttered, giving her a grin. "No peeking," he warned.

* * *

Several hours passed by; they chatted about anything that came to mind. Eventually, Adrien's transformation came to an end and Marinette met a ravenous Plagg who overcame his terror of Tikki to chow down on the cheese as she lectured him on being smarter and more productive.

It felt weird to wear a regular mask and fake ears on his head; it didn't feel the same as Chat Noir's, but it still felt enough like a disguise that he stayed relaxed and informal with Marinette. Next thing he knew, he was napping on her leg as she drew.

Fingers slid through his hair, and he sighed in pleasure. No one had played with his hair ever since his mother had disappeared; it felt wonderful. Not even registering what he was doing, he wrapped his arms around her as she continued to run her fingers through his silky strands.

"Down, kitty," he heard an amused voice murmur, but he only held her closer. Whoever this was, she was _warm_ ; he never wanted to let go. He readjusted his head, settling into his new position. He his breathing deepened as he dozed off instantly.


	10. Notes and Games

The Materialist: Part Five

Marinette had been drawing some new clothing designs when she had realized the time and wondered if she should wake up Chat Noir. His head rested on her knee, dozing after watching her draw for several minutes.

She found herself staring at the silky strands of hair, wanting to touch them. Before she knew it, her hand was running through those strands. Blushing, she began to pull back when Chat Noir sighed deeply and murmured something inaudibly, wrapping his arms around her waist and snuggling closer - and bringing his head onto her thigh.

"Chat Noir - " she started, but then sighed, running her fingers through his silky locks again as she gazed at his defenseless face. "Down, kitty," she murmured softly, amused.

His arms constricted around her as he settled into his new position. His breathing deepened even more as he fell asleep then and there.

Marinette stared at him, aghast. She would feel bad if she woke him up, but he definitely couldn't stay here the whole night. _Especially_ like this.

 _Wait, what would Adrien think?_ Marinette wondered, in a panic. _Chat Noir, in my room, napping on my lap…_

She groaned inwardly. Nope, she was not sleeping; it would be easier to explain why Chat Noir had been napping on her lap while she drew rather than trying to explain why she had been _sleeping_ with Chat Noir on her chaise.

Sighing, she pulled up her one free leg to prop her sketchbook onto it before continuing drawing. No need to waste this time, after all.

* * *

Adrien opened his eyes, feeling groggy. Plagg tugged at his ear, and he shifted to swat him away.

"Don't move your arm!" Plagg hissed, and that one statement woke him up enough to remember his predicament.

He was in Marinette's room.

He had fallen asleep on her lap.

His arms were wrapped around her.

She was also asleep, her left hand and arm resting across his shoulders; her sketchbook was sprawled next to her as if it had slipped from her grasp. Her head was tilted back and against the wall, her mouth slightly open as she dozed against the wall.

Very, very carefully, he slipped out from underneath her arm. She shivered slightly, a frown forming on her face. "Adrien," she mumbled.

That single word brought the whole world crashing down on him. He stared at the sleeping form of the girl in front of him.

 _I'm an idiot,_ he thought, grimly amused. _To think she would be dreaming of me… well, she_ is, _but it's not the version of me I wish she was dreaming about._

 _To think I could be jealous of myself,_ he mused, leaning closer to her and watching her sleeping face. She looked so peaceful like this; he hated to jostle her, but the position she was in wasn't good for her neck. As carefully as he could, he carried her up the ladder and set her onto her bed, nestled in the pillows.

"Goodnight, mi'lady," he whispered, pulling the covers around her.

She mumbled something, and suddenly, a hand dragged him onto the bed with her. He slipped free, shifting her grip to hug a nearby pillow.

He took a deep breath, uncomfortable with how close that had been. He glanced at her one more time, reluctant to leave without even a note -

 _A note._

Smiling, he went to her desk and found a notepad and a pen easily enough. He scribbled out a hasty note for her in the morning, knowing she would probably be furious with what he was putting on it. After sparing the loft one last glance, he put the mask and ears there, as well.

"Plagg, claws out," he whispered, trying to transform as quietly as possible. He leaped onto the loft and leaned over the sleeping form of Marinette, kissing her forehead lightly. "I will see you tomorrow, my princess."

* * *

Marinette blinked, feeling groggy as the morning rays shone through her window. She shot up in bed, glancing around frantically.

She had fallen asleep with Chat Noir.

She glanced around the room in a panic; her feline partner was nowhere to be seen. She peeked through the trapdoor to her roof, but he wasn't there, either.

An odd feeling swelled within her. Why hadn't he woken her up before he left? _When_ had he left? Had he tucked her into her bed? After all, she had fallen asleep while drawing on the chaise.

She noticed the mask and ears on the table. A note rested beneath them.

She lifted the note, frowning slightly; Chat Noir wasn't notorious for leaving notes. His flowing script looked so unlike his personality that Marinette wondered if he had really written it.

" _Mi'lady, I can die a happy cat now. Thanks for the nap. Also, thank you for letting me keep my identity for now. I don't need you acting all weird on me, because as soon as you see my face, I know you'll fall for me. -Chat Noir_ "

Marinette's face turned bright red. _Thanks for the nap._ Which meant he had woken up while it was still dark and quite possibly had tucked her into her bed. She shook her head, trying to dispel the images _that_ brought to mind.

 _I wonder why he was so insistent on keeping his identity a secret,_ she wondered as she hid the note in a drawer. _Maybe it was the opposite and I had actually hated him? Or maybe he was someone I had known and I had gotten mad at him for not telling me?_

Suddenly, she remembered her date with Adrien yesterday. Shamefully, she pulled out her phone and texted him, " _What are you doing today?_ "

His reply was instant. " _Nothing much. Want to hang out?_ "

Happiness and excitement welled within her, darkened by her embarrassment at spending the night with Chat Noir. " _Yeah!_ "

" _How about your place after lunch?_ "

Marinette paused, glancing around her room. She didn't care if they were dating now and he knew of her infatuation with him; knowing and seeing the evidence were two worldly different things.

" _Sounds perfect,_ " she replied, her legs already moving to her desk. She removed all of her posters, magazine clippings, and picture frames, even changing the screensaver on her computer.

"Done," she breathed, grinning.

Tikki rose from the pillow on the chaise, still half asleep. "What are you doing, Marinette?"

"Adrien is coming over!" Marinette beamed, rushing to her door. "I'm going to eat. Do you want anything, Tikki?"

She mumbled something as she sank back into the pillow. Marinette giggled at her kwami, heading down the stairs.

* * *

Adrien fidgeted in front of the bakery, suddenly nervous. He had been half-asleep when he had texted her, but now he was wide awake. Steeling himself, he walked into the bakery to see Marinette arguing with her parents over something.

"We're just going to play video games!" she exclaimed loudly at a suggestive whisper from her mother that made her blush.

Adrien raised an eyebrow. Apparently, the conversation was about them hanging out. He hoped he hadn't gotten her into trouble.

Marinette turned around and saw him. Her face turned even more red. "A-A-Adrien, h-hi," she stammered, nearly speaking gibberish from nerves.

He tried not to laugh. He had to admit he found this part of her superbly adorable now that he knew she did it because she liked him. "Good afternoon, Marinette. Nice to see you again," he greeted her parents.

They murmured their greetings with knowing looks on their faces as Marinette grabbed his hand and dragged him upstairs.

"Whoa, slow down," he said as they nearly stumble into Marinette's room. She collapsed into her chair, looking very embarrassed as she snatched a remote and turned on the console.

Adrien slowly sank into the chair next to hers, casually glancing around to notice that the posters and magazine clippings of himself had been put away - or hidden, more likely - since he had left last night as Chat Noir. He barely managed to keep a straight face as he watched her curse under her breath at the slow program.

Finally, the game was up and running. They picked their fighters and went through two rounds before her nosy parents poked their heads in with snacks in tow.

"We brought some cupcakes," her father sing-songed, holding up a plate-full of freshly baked cupcakes with white icing.

"And cookies," her mother added, smiling sweetly as she placed the sweets on the floor before quickly dipping out of sight.

"Mom, Dad, I told you - "

"Thank you," Adrien quickly cut her off, smiling at them. "I was just getting a little hungry."

They beamed at him, leaving the sweets at the edge of the door before disappearing downstairs again. Marinette got up and grabbed the trays, bringing them to the desk. "Sorry, I wasn't thinking of that," she mumbled, not looking at him. "They can be annoying at times."

"Better than my dad." He took a cookie and nibbled on it. "He's not home often, and when he is, he doesn't bother with little things like this."

Marinette glanced at him, a sad expression crossing her face as she bit into a cupcake. "I'm sorry."

He shrugged. "I'm used to it." He noticed a bit of icing on her cheek and moved to wipe it away.

Her head swiveled towards him, and his fingers inadvertently cupped her face. They both freeze, and then like a magnet attracted to her, he leaned forward. His heartbeat quickened as he drew closer to her lips, his resolve solidifying.

"I forgot the milk - " Marinette's mom stopped, her hand flying to her mouth. "Oh, pardon me," she chuckled, quickly setting down the milk and escaping.

" _Mom!_ " Marinette roared, her face flaming red.

Adrien laughed nervously. "I'm sorry," he apologized. "I shouldn't have done that… I'll just go."

Inside, he was a churning mess. He wanted to kiss her so badly, but he didn't feel like it would be fair if she didn't know that he knew of her Miraculous.

Marinette grabbed his sleeve, exclaiming in a desperate tone, "Adrien, wait - "

He turned and smiled at her, but he knew without looking in a mirror that it looked sad. What did she even see in him? "Why do you like me, Marinette?"

She stared at him, surprised at the question. "You're nice and kind. Ever since we first met, you've never tried teasing me or making fun of me despite my clumsiness. You're polite, proper, and try to help out in any way that you can."

He stared at her, stunned. _She's in love with what I hate,_ he thought to himself, aghast. _That prim, proper, and stuck-up brat my father tried raising me as._

"But…"

He clung to this word, leaning forward slightly. He saw the small smile forming at her lips. "I also like how brave and courageous you can be when things get serious. Your jokes are always funny, and you play video games." She bit her lip, no longer looking at him. "I-if we stayed nothing more than friends, I would be okay with that, although I've had the biggest crush on you since you gave me your umbrella that one day…"

Her face was flaming red at this point as she avoided looking at him. He grinned, leaning toward her and grasping her hands. "Marinette," he softly began, drawing her attention. "You're pretty brave yourself with the way you stand up to Chloe. Don't put yourself down so much."

Even though she hadn't said anything of the sort, he had seen her insecurity in her expressions. He wondered if Ladybug was the same way.

She squeezed his fingers gratefully, her smile wavering. "Thank you."

He returned her smile. "However, there's one problem with what you like about me." She frowned, puzzled. "Most of what you listed is how my father wants me to act."

She blinked as if confused, and then some realization came to mind. Her lips parted in surprise. "Wait, but…"

"I'm actually pretty selfish. I like to slack off, do what I want, and overall act however I want. Sure, I'm nice, but I also like to play games and tell jokes - things my father disapproves of." He winced, remembering a recent argument with his father about his video games. "I feel as if I can't let down your expectations, but at the same time, I just want to be myself. It's a paradox."

Marinette stared at him. He could almost _see_ the gears turning in her head and almost hoped she would guess he was Chat Noir - be done with all this pretense. However, she merely nodded and said softly, "I can understand that."

It was his turn to stare at her in confusion. She smiled bitterly at him, continuing in a soft voice, "A lot of people think I'm brave, but really, I'm scared most of the time. I just put on a brave face and keep going because there is no other way to do it."

He could guess what else was going on in her mind; that the mask helped her pretend all the more and that she wore it only because it helped her keep her confidence in a situation like this. _We're a lot alike,_ he thought, nearly laughing. _She wears the mask to feel braver than what she thinks she is, while I wear it to feel more free than what I am._

He squeezed her fingers. "You _are_ strong, Marinette. Don't let anyone make you think otherwise."

She smiled shakily at him. "Thanks, Adrien."

* * *

Hawk Moth clenched his fists, still fuming over last night's failure. "I _will_ get them," he muttered to himself, and then remembered what Ladybug had told him while she had been akumatized.

He grinned, formulating a plan. "This will be _perfect_. Now I just have to find the right candidate."

The butterflies around him swirled around like a mini tornado, reacting to his excitement. He would get the Miraculous - but when they were both weak and susceptible after his attacks.

"First, to find out their secrets…" he murmured. Chat Noir was as dangerous as Ladybug herself; last night had proved that. He needed to figure out weaknesses to gain some ground on the duo.

* * *

 _A/N: I hope you like MariChat, because... next chapter is totally a Marichat snippet. It's going to be longer than my normal chapters, but I couldn't bring myself to break it up into really small chapters (it's a total of 3k words; kind of like a quarter-episode)._


	11. A Lull in Duties

_A/N: Thank you,_ Andrey258 _, for all your wonderful reviews! It spurred me to post this one early just for you. I hope you like it._

 _This one is a bit longer than my usual chapters, clocking in at a pretty hefty 3k. However, I couldn't break it up because it's already shorter than my usual 'episodes.' This little special serves as a bridge to prep the fanfic for more brilliance that I create in later episodes. You might not be able to see it now, but trust me... I needed to write this before I could continue the series (and I had been working on Episode Five when I finally found the missing piece in this fanfic)._

 _Here's a little synopsis for this little not-quite-side-story,_ A Lull in Duties _:_

 _Marinette convinced Chat Noir to help her with her homework the next weekend. What she find out anything about the time when she had been akumatized? What will Chat Noir do with all that time spent alone with Marinette, his 'purrincess'?_

* * *

Episode 2.5: A Lull in Duties

"Hm, hm, hm-hm, hm-hm." A black boot bounced to the hummed tune, pointing towards the sky.

"Sit still, or I won't finish this!" Marinette snapped, irritated.

"Of course, mi'lady," Chat Noir immediately conceded, continuing his humming but no longer tapping his foot.

He was lounged in her chair on the balcony, staring up at the clouds in bliss. Despite being in his black Miraculous suit, he wasn't too warm; in fact, he was just the right temperature.

Marinette fretted over a stray line in her drawing, leaning against the wall of her balcony as she drew the lounging Chat Noir.

"Chat."

"Yes, mi'lady?"

She had finally fixed the line. "When I had been akumatized, had anything bad happened between us?"

The humming stopped. Glancing up, she saw his head turned towards her as his eyes searched her face. After a brief moment of silence, he turned his head back towards the sky. "No."

Marinette glared at him for a moment before resuming drawing. "Why won't you tell me who you are, then?"

"I want you to know the real side of me." His foot began tapping a silent beat again. This time, she didn't stop him.

"Are you really that different from your real identity?" she asked, curious.

"You'll have to tell me," he admitted, tilting his head towards her again. His green eyes drilled into her. "Here's a question for you: Why haven't you figured out who I am behind the mask on your own? After all, we _do_ go to the same school."

Marinette jerked up in bed, inhaling sharply as she reacquainted herself with her room. "A dream," she mumbled, relaxing back into her pillows.

However, it was a dream that reflected her true state of mind.

Chat Noir was keeping something a secret from her, and it involved the reason why he wouldn't reveal his true identity to her. It didn't seem as if anything bad had happened between them - he just seemed to be uncertain and self-doubting, believing she wouldn't like him anymore if she knew who he was behind the mask.

 _Tap, tap, tap._

She sighed heavily. Sitting up in bed, she unlatched her roof's latch, pushing it up enough to peer at Chat Noir's grin. "Good morning, Purrincess - "

He faltered when he saw her sleep-ridden appearance. "Did I… wake you up?" he asked, incredulous.

She quickly shook her head. "No. What are you doing here?"

He glanced at his wrist as if there was a watch on it, which there wasn't. "You wanted me to tutor you, right? I came at the prearranged time."

Marinette quickly checked her phone's clock. Sure enough, it was already past ten in the morning, proving _her_ the one in the wrong. "Agh, I'm sorry, Chat. I guess I slept in. Give me a few minutes."

As she quickly threw on some clothes and brushed her tangled hair, she mulled over the previous weekend that had led to this situation; On Sunday, she had been scrambling to finish her homework for next week when Chat had dropped by. Refusing to leave after he had interrupted her, he had proceeded to help her with her homework. He even said he would help out with next week's work if she needed it - and, even though she hated to admit it, she definitely needed help.

Once she was dressed and had snuck some food into her room, she opened the rooftop hatch to spy Chat Noir resting in her chair the exact same way as he had in her dream. Shivering from a sudden chill, she brought her homework and the snacks up.

"Wow, right down to business," he commented as she sat cross-legged on the balcony near him, her math homework splayed across her lap.

"I need to finish it before tomorrow," she mumbled, not looking at him.

 _Thump_. Glancing up, she nearly squeaked when she saw Chat Noir sitting cross-legged across from her with a serious expression on his face. "All right, then. Let's get it done."

He plucked her math homework out of her lap and examined the pages. His forehead creased in amusement. "Ah, you have _him_ for your math teacher."

He proceeded to tell her everything he knew about the tense ball of wrath that was her mathematics teacher, including what he liked to see on the homework sheets. This prompted Marinette to ask him if they shared the class together, but he had quickly shaken his head.

After a while, they fell into a sort of pattern; Chat would lounge in her chair, nodding off or staring up at the clouds while humming, until she needed help with a tricky question. When that happened, he would plop in front of her and help her with it.

After the midday meal (which she had barely managed to sneak up enough food for two without her parents noticing), she eyed him with suspicion. At her look, he immediately asked, "What?"

"I never would have thought you would be so smart." Half of her homework was done thanks to him.

Chat clutched at his heart as if something had pierced him. "You _wound_ me, Princess. How else would I be able to come up with my fur-tastic ideas?"

She rolled her eyes. _There_ was the Chat she knew; she hadn't realized how unsettled she had been from his uncharacteristically serious attitude until he had broken it with one of his annoying, yet familiar, puns. "That's a bit of a stretch, isn't it?"

"Paw-lease," he waved her off, grinning, "I'm only getting started."

She groaned, but she was smiling. She opened the book for the next subject: English*. She sighed now, already feeling so lost; ever since this semester's course with the new British instructor that spoke imperfect French, she hadn't been able to fully grasp all the concepts he threw at them. "How good is your English?" she asked with little to no hope.

"Pretty good." He peered at her homework upside-down, frowning. "Hmm. I haven't met him."

Marinette stared at him as he shifted to sit next to her so he could read the instructions. His soft gold hair slid along his ears, and she remembered how that hair had felt between her fingers just last weekend when he had fallen asleep on her knee.

Swallowing hard, she squashed the sudden urge to pat his head, reminding herself that she was seeing Adrien. Sure, they weren't boyfriend-girlfriend yet, but she wasn't leaving anything to chance.

"Ah, it looks like it's just sentence conjugation," Chat Noir finally exclaimed, breaking her out of her reverie. "Want me to show you a few examples of what he wants?"

She nodded quickly, hoping he didn't notice her lapse in judgement. He smiled at her then, showing teeth as he reached across her lap to grab a notebook.

Startled, she inhaled sharply, catching the scent of peaches and vanilla as his silky hair passed by her face. It was definitely not what she had expected Chat Noir to smell like.

 _Shoot me now, please,_ she thought as she was trapped in his expectant green eyes, _b_ _ecause I have no clue what he just said._

A curious, puzzled expression crossed over his face. "Is something wrong, Marinette?"

"N-no," she stammered, cursing her nerves for revealing themselves through her annoying stutter.

He looked mildly surprised before breaking out in a grin. "Did I make you nervous with all that English jargon?"

She smiled sheepishly. "Maybe…" She fiddled with the corner of her book. "Could you… repeat what you just said a moment ago?"

Another hour passed by. Unbelievably, Chat Noir was better in English than almost everyone she knew; the only other one she knew to be this fluent was Adrien. She caught on to his explanations much better than she had with the British instructor, plowing through her homework in record time.

 _Beep, beep, beep._

Chat glanced at his ring, startled. His last print was blinking, alerting him that he only had approximately five minutes left on his transformation. He grinned at Marinette. "Any last questions before I leave?"

A flash of panic pierced through her. What if she forgot everything he had been telling her? Grabbing his arm, she exclaimed, "W-wait, stay a bit longer."

He stared at her, startled. "I mean, I _could_ , but…"

What she had said and how it could be taken hit her like a sledgehammer. "I-I mean, I just - I don't want to forget and - my grade is already low in English - "

He chuckled, moving in closer until his face was mere inches from her own. Her mouth clamped shut at his close proximity. "You know, Princess, all you had to do was ask."

The look he gave her made her stomach do cartwheels. He had given her that smouldering look so many times before; why was this time different?

When she didn't push him away, a spark of curiosity flickered through his eyes. He edged closer, and Marinette held her breath, frozen to the spot.

"What if I go for about an hour and then come back? Would that be okay?" he breathed.

All she could do was nod. Eyes locked on his, she didn't stop him when he lifted her hand.

His lips pressed against her skin, soft and warm. They lingered there longer than normal as he watched her. Amusement danced across his features as he pulled away, his Miraculous giving another warning beep.

"I'll be back in an hour," he promised, leaping from the building.

As soon as he was out of sight, Marinette slumped into a puddle, her face turning bright red. She stared at her English book, remembering how he had reached across to use her notebook.

"Marinette? Are you okay?" Tikki asked, peeking out from her comfy little nest that Marinette had made for her.

"He-he smelled like peaches and vanilla," Marinette stammered dazedly.

Tikki floated over, slightly confused. "Peaches? What are you talking about?"

Marinette covered her face. "Tikki… He's coming back later. I don't know what to do…"

Tikki huffed. "That's easy. Work on homework!"

* * *

Adrien slipped into his room, nearly humming to himself from his day spent with Marinette. Despite only working on homework, he had still enjoyed his morning and afternoon with her.

As soon as he detransformed, Plagg leapt for the couch, burying himself into a cushion. "Wahhh, I'm so _hungry_! You're a slavedriver, man! Get me cheese!"

"Fine, fine," Adrien said, waving his hand dismissively. He left his room and headed down the lonely hallway towards the kitchen.

Gabriel Agrests stepped out of the entrance to the kitchen, a stern expression clouding his face.

Adrien froze, staring at his father. "D-Dad? What are you doing here?"

"I _live_ here," he retorted, crossing his arms. "I would have liked to spend time with my son, but he _disappeared._ Care to tell me where you went, Adrien?"

"I was studying with a friend," he muttered, which was the truth.

Gabriel raised an eyebrow. "And who is this friend? Where did you go? Why didn't you tell me?"

Adrien locked his lips, refusing to answer his father. Pushing by, he entered the kitchen and started hunting for food.

"Dinner will be served in an hour," Gabriel said coolly while watching Adrien. He walked down the hallway without looking back.

Adrien let the fridge shut on its own, camembert cheese in his hand. His father hadn't said anything else, but he didn't need to; Adrien knew that if he didn't show up tonight, Gabriel would find some excuse to keep him from going to school.

 _I'm sorry, Marinette,_ he thought solemnly, sulking back to his room.

* * *

Marinette paced, worry etched on her face. Her discarded English homework - nearly completed - was sprawled over her desk along with some art designs for school. She looked at the clock for the umteenth time in the past hour. "He's late."

Even Tikki looked worried at this point. "Maybe…"

"He said he would be here around an _hour_ ago, Tikki!" Marinette cried, running her hand over her pigtails. Strands stuck up every which way; huffing, she pulled them out, allowing her hair to fall against her neck. "What if something happened to him? What if he fell, or worse - what if there was an akuma and he's fighting it alone? We should - "

 _Thud_.

Marinette's head jerked upwards to the ceiling. Racing up the ladder to her bed, she poked her head out the trap door. "Chat, where were… you…"

Her voice had started out furious, but as soon as she saw his drained, exhausted face, her anger had trailed off. He blinked at her slowly, forcing a smile onto his face. "I'm sorry, Princess. I didn't mean to worry you."

"What happened?" she asked, much softer this time as she let her trap door fall the rest of the way open.

He collapsed on his knees, his head falling forward to rest on her shoulder. Startled, she didn't move. "My father noticed I hadn't been home all day…" he mumbled before she could say anything. "He ordered me to eat dinner with him, and then proceeded to lecture me on leaving the house without letting anyone know…"

Hesitantly, Marinette reached up and patted Chat's shoulder. "What about your mom?"

His shoulders tensed as his face buried into her neck. "She's… gone."

"Oh, Chat," she crooned, stroking his hair. He relaxed against her, his hands loosely wrapping around her waist. "I'm sorry."

A low sound emanated from his throat as her fingers ran through his silky soft hair. With a start, she realized he was _purring_.

He realized it, too. Jerking back, he stared at her with wide eyes, his cheeks visibly turning bright red underneath his mask. She chuckled, unable to restrain herself. "I was trying to comfort you, but I guess that works, too."

She scratched under his chin - just like she would do with a cat - and that deep purr sounded again. He snatched her hand, avoiding her gaze as he clenched her fingers. "S-stop it," he muttered in a rough voice, thoroughly embarrassed.

"Ohhh?" She grinned, her eyes narrowing. "Is the kitty embarrassed? Purring only means you enjoyed it, silly cat."

"I should make you pay for that," he muttered, glancing at her with a contemplative look.

She chuckled, dipping back into her room. "Just get in here, kitty."

Within seconds, Chat Noir was prowling around her room as she climbed down her ladder. She turned around just in time to see him pick up her sketchbook. "Is this one the homework?"

"No, don't - !"

Chat stared at the page, frozen. A full five seconds passed by before his head slowly turned towards her. "Is this… a Chat Noir hoodie?"

Marinette blushed furiously. "I-I wasn't worried about you…" she babbled.

He stalked towards her slowly, a lazy grin spreading across his face as he flipped through the book. "Oooh, Chat Noir gloves - even a bag! Geez, Mari, you could open a business with designing things like this." The sketchbook landed on the desk with a soft thump. He stopped in front of her, blocking her escape route by placing his hands on either side of her ladder.

"You could have just said you're a Chat Noir fan, Princess," he purred, giving her a smouldering look. He twirled a lock of her dark hair around his finger. "You look good with your hair down, you know."

"Ch-Chat," she stammered, panicking. He was so _close_. "I-it isn't like that, I swear. Could we just… work on the English…?"

" _Of course, my lady_ ," he responded in accented English, and her face burned in return.

* * *

Sighing, Marinette leaned the back of her head against the wall. She was propped against the wall with every spare pillow and blanket in her room serving as the nest Chat and she had made in the middle of her floor since it was too dark now to hang out on the balcony. Chat Noir dozed beside her, curled up next to her just like a cat.

She smiled, finding his napping form absolutely adorable. She patted his hair, nudging him awake by scratching behind his ear. "Chat, it's late. You should probably head home."

"Mmmm…" he purred, half asleep. His hands reached out, wrapping around her leg as he scooted closer. "Not yet…"

Marinette squeaked indignantly, immediately pushing at his shoulder. "Chat! Get off me this instant!" she demanded, her face a brilliant red.

Blearily, Chat Noir blinked his eyes and looked up at her. He gave her a sleepy grin as he rested his chin just above her hip bone. His arms constricted around her leg. "You're comfy, though." His hooded gaze trapped her. "I don't want to let you go."

He was telling the truth.

Marinette's mouth went dry. She didn't know how to deal with the unfiltered emotions in his sleepy gaze. "Chat, you need to go home."

His arms unwrapped from around her leg. She sighed in relief, but her breathing hitched as his hands prop him on either side of her hips. His face came within centimeters of her face.

"What if I said no?"

She had no response for that. If he wouldn't leave on his own, there wasn't any other way she could get rid of him. Swallowing hard, she took a gamble. "Please?"

He sighed, hanging his head. "When you say it like that, I guess I have to." He leapt to his feet, smirking. "I'll see you tomorrow for patrol?"

Marinette sighed, regaining her composure. "Yeah. Thanks for all the help, Chat Noir. It means a lot to me." She smiled at him gratefully.

He took her hand, kissing the back lightly. "Anything for you, mi'lady."

Within a few seconds, Marinette was standing alone in her bedroom, holding her hand close to her chest. _Thu-thump, thu-thump, thu-thump_. She bit her lip, hoping her face hadn't turned as red as her suit again.

Even more than that, though, she hoped he hadn't heard - or worse, _felt_ \- her pounding heart when he had kissed the back of her hand again.

"Tikki, something's wrong with me…" she mumbled, clutching her shirt. "My chest hurts a bit…"

Tikki glanced at her, sympathetic. She could see what was happening, but she knew the girl wasn't ready to face the truth of her own feelings yet.

* * *

* The setting is Paris, so - technically - they have been speaking French this whole time. Marinette is taking a language class for English.

 _A/N: My inner fangirl squeals in anticipation any time I reread this. Hope you liked it as much as I enjoyed writing it! If you really like the MariChat pairing, don't worry... there's more to come._

Episode Three: Truth Serum _has to be one of my favorites - and also a HUGE challenge to write. I'm going to proof it one more time before posting it, so it may be a few days unless I have another spurt of editing inspiration. Again._


	12. Truth Serum

_A/N: And so begins the fun... Truth Serum and Switch used to be in the same chapter, but now I am super-duper happy I made them into their own chapters._

 _Warning: If you prefer fanfics that follow the original story pretty closely, stop reading now. I'll be deviating more into my style of writing, which isn't as light and fluffy as the original Miraculous Ladybug series. There will be other subtle changes, but let's see who catches them before it becomes as obvious as a brick wall in Chat's face._

 _One more disclaimer: I own nothing of Miraculous Ladybug. The original story belongs to its respectful owners, those sweet angels in the production field. I'm creating this just for fun._

 _Let the games begin..._

* * *

Episode Three: Truth Serum

Part One

 _Tap, tap, tap._

"Come in," Marinette said in a monotone, finishing up the last few history questions.

"Hello there, Princess," Chat Noir crooned as he leaped from her bed into the room, leaning against the wall near the window with the grace of a cat.

Marinette didn't even glance at him. "Hey, Chat. Sorry; I'm busy right now."

He draped his arms over her chair's back, resting his chin on her shoulder. "Question three is wrong," he pointed out casually as Marinette squirmed a little bit at the physical contact. "That pharaoh had been buried in the sarcophagus underneath a pyramid, not the Sphinx."

Marinette instantly changed it. "Thanks, Chat. How did you know that?"

He snorted. "It's not like I haven't taken a history class." His arm casually dangled over her, encompassing her in a hug before she could stop him. He backed up as she turned to glare at him; he wore an innocent expression as he whistled suspiciously.

She shook her head. She didn't have time for this; she needed to finish the homework before tomorrow's classes. "Sorry, Chat, but I need to get all of my homework done before school tomorrow."

He perched on the edge of her bed, any trace of playfulness disappearing from his face. "I could tutor you again," he offered.

Marinette snorted, smirking. "I thought you got in trouble last time for helping me."

He raised his hands in a shrug. "What can I say? If you need my help, I'm all ears, Princess." He winked at her, grinning. "However, I do believe you've forgotten an important little ceremony today."

Marinette slapped her hand against her forehead. "Gyah! I did it again!"

"I'll wait on the roof," he said, slipping out her ceiling door to give her privacy.

Tikki peeked out from her usual hiding place in Marinette's bedroom, zooming over to her. "Chat Noir really seems to like you, Marinette."

Marinette shook her head. "He's just flirting like he usually does. It probably doesn't mean anything."

However, despite this, she mulled over the past couple weeks. Hawk Moth had pretty much disappeared, making no one victims to his akuma since the Materialist two weeks ago. Because of this, she and Chat Noir had had nothing to do other than patrol the streets for regular crimes and enjoy one another's company in their study sessions.

"Tikki, spots on!" Marinette called out. Within seconds, she was in her trademark red suit with black spots on it - just like a ladybug. Her yo-yo wrapped around her hips like a satchel.

She climbed onto her roof, seeing Chat Noir leaning against the railing. "Hey, kitty," she called out. She had gotten comfortable with him knowing her real identity, though she still won't let him watch her transform.

He turned around and beamed at her. "Bugaboo," he crooned, his arms wide for a hug. She flicked him on the nose and he recoiled, rubbing it. His ears drooped forward. "What was that for, mi'lady?"

She giggled, scratching underneath his chin, which elicited a deep purr. "Come on, Chat. Time to go to the ceremony."

They took their respective paths next to one another - Chat Noir leaping over the buildings with his baton, Ladybug swinging from the top of the roofs. Within a few minutes, they landed in the park where a sculptor who idolized Ladybug and Chat Noir had made another statue of them to replace the one that had been vandalized last month.

Theo Barbot - who had turned into Copycat a while back - beamed at Ladybug. She waved at him as soon as she landed, quickly scanning the crowd for any familiar faces.

Sure enough, her whole class was there, Alya in the front with her camera on and waiting for any scoops to post on the Ladyblog. Even her teacher, Caline Bustier, was there with a man; they were in the far back, but Marinette could still clearly see that they were arguing about something. Miss Bustier huffed, upset, as the man rubbed his head in frustration.

Mayor André Burgeois began the ceremony in honor of Paris's heroes. At the end, Marinette stepped forward and thanked everyone for coming. She felt slightly nervous talking in front of a crowd like this, but she knew Chat Noir wouldn't do it if she was here. By the end, her nerves were frazzled; thankfully, Chat Noir stepped between her and Alya before her best friend could pepper the heroine with questions.

"Terribly sorry, but we have plans after the ceremony. Reschedule?" He winked at Alya.

Alya glanced between them, her camera still on. "Are you two dating?" she blurted.

Marinette frowned, surprised at Alya's statement and about to refuse when Chat Noir said, "Nope, we're just good partners." He slung his arm over Marinette's shoulders, grinning at Alya.

If she didn't know him as well as she did, she wouldn't have noticed the miniscule difference in his tone or smile. Guarded. Wary. Defensive.

 _He's hiding something_.

There was a commotion behind the dispersing crowd, distracting her from her thoughts. Marinette focused on it, frowning slightly. Miss Bustier was stalking away from the man she had been talking to, tears in her eyes. He stared after her, looking as if he didn't know what to do.

Marinette and Chat Noir approached him. "What happened?" Marinette asked, concerned for her teacher.

The man looked embarrassed. "Just a misunderstanding," he mumbled, wandering in the opposite direction.

Marinette stared after her teacher, a bad feeling coiling in her stomach and making her nauseous. "Let's go, Chat," she murmured to her partner, taking off after her teacher. He followed right behind her, not saying a word.

* * *

Hawk Moth grinned in triumph as he stared out the open window of his clock tower. The butterflies swirled around him in agitation, almost anxious.

He raised his hand, and several butterflies vied to land on his palm as if eager to be picked by him. "My poor lady, having been lied to and deceived your whole life. And now, from the one person you thought you could trust, you find out _he_ has deceived you, too."

One of the butterflies landed on his hand and he covered it with his palm. Darkness gathered, tainting the pure white butterfly and turning its whole body a dark purplish-black with lavender streaks. It pulsated with pent-up dark energy, more powerful than the usual akuma.

"Fly away, my little akuma, and evillize her," Hawk Moth commanded in a whisper, watching the butterfly soar over Paris and out of sight. It trailed an ominous purple stream. "Give her the power to find out the truth."

* * *

Adrien watched Ladybug swing from building to building in front of him. When she came to a stop, he peered over her shoulder, noticing their teacher sitting on a bench underneath a tree. His tail flicked lazily as his ears twitched, trying to pick out any sounds. Nothing.

"She seems fine to me," he commented, starting to turn away.

"No!" Ladybug gasped, dropping from the roof. Adrien stared after her, wondering what could have her in such a fit when he saw the small handheld gun rising to Miss Bustier's head.

A black butterfly fluttered around her before sinking into the barrel.

Adrien's eyes widened. He had always known what happened with the akuma, but he had never seen it firsthand. Within seconds, her entire form was encased in purple and she reappeared with a huge gun in her hand. Her black turtleneck was ripped on the sleeves, the design of a red heart ripped in half on the front. Her leather pants had rips in the knees and along the calves; her pumps were spiked and deadly. Her red hair flared out around her face, loose and wild.

She looked at the gun in her hands, grinning in triumph. "This is _much_ better."

Ladybug charged at the akumatized woman, yelling in frustration. Adrien swore to himself underneath his breath, dropping from the five-story building and breaking his fall with his baton.

"Miss Bustier, snap out of it!" Ladybug yelled at her.

She cackled, shooting at the acrobatic girl. "Forget that name. I am Truth Serum! I will make sure _everyone_ will tell their deepest secrets!"

A chill ran down Adrien's spine. For some reason, this akumatized villain felt different than all the others they had faced; she wasn't demanding for their Miraculouses, and her focus seemed to be on…

Nothing.

She was an akumatized villain with no focus.

Adrien grit his teeth, seeing her aim get better with every shot. _One of them will hit her_ , he reasoned. He didn't want to think what would happen if it _did_ hit Ladybug. Darting forward, he knocked Ladybug to the side just as Truth Serum pulled the trigger.

"Ouff!" Adrien fell backwards, taking the full brunt of the painful bullet in his shoulder and collarbone. Something washed through him like a shot of morphine, and he sucked in huge lungfuls of air.

Blinking rapidly, he struggled upright just enough to see Truth Serum laugh and stalk out of the park, completely ignoring Ladybug running to his side. "Enjoy finding out the truth," she tossed over her shoulder.

"Chat! Don't move; you could be seriously hurt!" she cried, falling to her knees next to him. Her eyes watered a little bit, but she was strong; she held them at bay.

"Don't… worry," he gasped, wincing at the pain in his shoulder. "Go after her."

She ignored him, exclaiming, "You're not even bleeding." She sounded confused yet relieved.

Adrien looked up at her, trapped in a swirl of worried and panicked bluebell eyes. "You're so beautiful, mi'lady," he heard himself say. His eyes widened and his hand clapped over his mouth. "I-I mean - "

She blinked and then laughed. "Oh, kitty, you're so cute," she chuckled. "It looks like you're only bruised. Let's go."

"Mi'lady," he breathed, his head spinning. "I… don't think… that's a good idea…"

"Chat? Chat, what's wrong?"

His eyes slid closed as a new feeling rushed through him. The feeling to tell her _everything_ ; his love for her, who he is, everything. He barely restrained himself from baring his very soul to her right then and there.

"I… need to leave." Not a lie. He _did_ need to leave, or he would make the biggest mistake of his life.

* * *

Marinette watched Chat Noir leap across the buildings as fast as he could. She wondered if she should follow him; he had looked to be in so much pain. However, the other look in his eyes stopped her.

He had looked as though he had been fighting the urge to tell her something.

Had he almost told her who he was? After all, Truth Serum had said, "I will make everyone tell their deepest secrets," and that was one of his.

Sighing, Marinette turned away, deciding to leave him alone to recover. She leapt through the buildings, trying to find Truth Serum. However, no matter how hard she looked, she couldn't find the akumatized woman.

* * *

Adrien stood shirtless in front of his bathroom mirror. He rubbed his chest where a purple flower of bruised color was prominent against his pale model features. He turned to Plagg, hissing, "It's not wearing off!"

"You're just going to have to deal with it," Plagg responded, shrugging. "You've already avoided patrol last night, but you can't avoid school without there being questions."

"I know," he groaned, slipping on a black shirt that covered his entire collarbone. Sure, the ceremony had been on a Sunday, so he had managed to get out of seeing anyone after he had been shot. However, now it was time for school.

The drive over was a blur as his mind raced through ideas and concerns. How would he be able to keep himself from blabbing his secrets to anyone who asked? As soon as he was out of the car, he hissed to Plagg, "If I start saying something about my identity, gag me, Plagg."

He sniggered. "I don't think it will be the issue."

As soon as Adrien's eyes fell on Marinette in the classroom, he suddenly believed the little kwami's statement. It took all of his willpower not to fall onto one knee and profess his undying love to her then and there.

The lunch bell couldn't ring any sooner. As soon as he stood up, though, he felt a tap on his shoulder.

Concerned bluebell eyes filled his vision, and he found himself saying, "Marinette, I - " Plagg pinched him. "W-would like it if you would sit with me at lunch."

He winced. It was true; he _would_ like it. However, he hadn't expected that sudden overwhelming urge to confess to her, so he hadn't been prepared for the next honest thing to pop out of his mouth.

Marinette blushed slightly, but she nodded. "Okay," she breathed.

They walked together out of the room. Both Alya and Nino were quietly cheering while Chloe fumed loudly. Adrien found his hand floating towards hers and quickly jammed them into his pockets to keep himself from 'accidentally' holding her hand. _Apparently, it isn't limited just to words,_ he thought grimly. _I'm going to have to be careful._

They got their respective lunches and sat down together. Adrien's lips parted as he watched her tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear, preparing to take a bite of her sandwich.

 _Bang. Bang. Bang._

Screams erupted from the other room. Adrien leapt to his feet, his sandwich dropping unceremoniously onto the ground. Marinette froze in mid-bite, shocked at the noise, as well.

"Run," he whispered, but at her frozen form, he yelled, "Run, Marinette!" He grabbed her arm, yanking her to her feet.

Truth Serum sauntered through the door, grinning widely. "Ohhh, the two lovebirds. Let's see how you _really_ feel about one another."

She aimed for Marinette's chest. _Bang._

Adrien grunted as that slicing pain pierced into his back as he once again took a shot for Marinette. She gasped, her eyes wide as he slid to his knees in front of her, his body wracked with shivers as the chemical seeped into his blood, making his head spin even more than it had been that morning. However, he already noticed that this one wasn't nearly as strong as the one from yesterday.

"Adrien," she cried, tugging on his arm. "Adrien, get up!"

"Marinette," he rasped, smiling at her. The pain from his back tainted his voice. "I can't - I can't watch you get hurt. Please, run."

"Not without you!" She pulled him to his feet, dragging him with her. They headed towards the now abandoned classrooms.

He tried his best to follow her, but his knees were trembling. He leaned on Marinette - but after a while, he wasn't doing it for the support. Taking a deep breath, he took in her caramel vanilla scent, smelling a hint of pomegranates behind it. He moaned, unable to help himself.

Marinette froze, misunderstanding the noise. "D-did I hurt you?"

"No," he breathed, unable to help himself. He leaned close to her neck, taking another deep breath. "You smell good… can I kiss you?"

Her breathing caught in her throat. "Adrien, now isn't - "

"I haven't been able to stop thinking of you for weeks," tumbled out of his lips with no regard to the situation. He leaned closer, vaguely registering that she was against a classroom wall. How had they gotten in here? Was this where she had led them to hide? "Please, it's killing me. What do you think of me? Do you like me as much as I like you?"

"Adrien, you're not thinking straight - " she rushed out, but her face was bright red. He ran his hand down her cheek. "Please, Adrien. Stop."

He dipped his head closer, his lips brushing against her cheek. "Do you… not like me?" A new pain pierced his consciousness from underneath his shirt, stopping his next words: _Do you not like Chat Noir?_

It felt as though cold water had been splashed onto him; he nearly swatted at the little kwami underneath his shirt in irritation but then realized what he had been about to say - and do.

"I-I'm sorry," he stammered, yanking his hand away and backing up. His hips struck the table behind him, and he glanced around, looking for an exit. "I-I should go."

"Wait, Adrien!"

He ignored her, trying hard not to think of how she hadn't answered him.

* * *

 _A/N: I am prepping my novel for publication at the end of October as well as preparing for NaNoWriMo in November, so the rate of these getting published will most likely slow down. However, I will still try to post at least one chapter a week. If I lag behind, please PM me with an angry message to hurry up and post; I'm sure the PM will wake me out of my stupor and spur whatever writer's block into moving out of the way._


	13. I Will Protect You

_A/N: Thank you for your patience with the update! I had a crazy-busy day at work yesterday. I only got... like... 200 words written before I had to go to work yesterday._

* * *

Truth Serum: Part Two

Marinette sank to the floor, stunned at his confession. Adrien liked her. Normally, she would have been ecstatic to the point of nearly passing out, but something nagged at her. Chat's teasing face popped into her mind.

"I found you ~ " Truth Serum crooned, and Marinette heard the gun click in preparation.

Marinette looked up, defiant. Maybe getting hit by the truth serum wouldn't be too bad; it wasn't like the truth would stop her from doing what she needed to do. Standing up, she faced Truth Serum, demanding, "Why are you doing this?"

"My boyfriend _lied_ to me," she hissed. "The one person I thought who would be honest with me. But no… he wasn't." She leveled the gun at her. "How was your little boyfriend after I shot him?"

Marinette smiled. "He confessed his feelings to me."

She sniggered. "Let's see if you feel the same way, then."

 _Bang._

The bullet grazed the side of Marinette's arm, sending a blistering pain through her as a cold wave of dizziness chased after it. She looked up to see Chat Noir glaring at an unconscious Truth Serum, sweat beading at his brow. He must have knocked her out, ruining her aim. "Stay there," he ordered the woman. Other than his heaving torso, he didn't move.

Marinette stumbled towards him, clutching her arm. "Chat, are you okay? Where did you go yesterday?"

She squeaked as he gathered her into a tight hug. "Princess," he breathed, holding her close. Suddenly, she staggered, gripping the edge of the desk as she reacquainted herself to being on the ground.

Chat Noir was halfway across the room, bent over and grasping his knees. He sucked in air, his eyes wide and his pupils dilating.

"Chat…?" Marinette queried, concerned.

"Don't come any closer," he warned, his voice breaking. "I… I don't want to do anything I'll regret later."

Her mind flashed back to Adrien's actions. Chat had taken a bullet to his collarbone area, so the effects would be just as bad in him. "Is that why you didn't show up yesterday after the attack?" she found herself asking, tears welling in her eyes. "I was worried about you."

Chat gazed at her, horrified. Suddenly, he was in front of her, gently wiping away her tears. "Don't worry, princess," he whispered. "I'm here for you."

His hand landed over the spot where she had been shot, and she winced in pain. He let go in surprise, and she quickly explained, "She shot me when you ran into her, though I don't think it's as bad as when you had been hit in the chest yesterday."

Pain filled his eyes - pain for her? He took her hand, kissing her knuckles lightly. She felt an odd fluttering in her stomach and had the urge to hug him but restrained it. "Let's go somewhere where you can transform."

She nodded mutely, following him out of the room. She didn't try to pull her hand out of his as they walked down the hallway together. They paused next to an empty classroom, and Chat Noir closed the door behind them.

"Chat, you need to - "

"I'm not leaving you," he said firmly, staring straight into her eyes. "Not after that woman tried shooting you. What if she shoots you as Ladybug? Then you'll get a double-dose of that Truth Bullet in you."

She shook her head, still not liking the sound of any of this. "Chat…"

"What's wrong, princess?" he whispered, touching the bottom of her chin.

She followed the pressure of his finger until she was looking up at him. Uncertainty filled her gaze, and she found herself speaking how she was feeling despite her reservations to tell him. "I-I don't know," she admitted. "Why do you even stay as my partner, especially after you found out I'm Marinette? I'm clumsy, I stutter, and I'm a big dork."

She chewed on her lip, self-conscious as his eyes took in her every move. A slow heat built in his gaze. "Bugaboo," he barely breathed, stepping even closer. She backed up, but he followed her until she was against the wall for the second time that day. "You are also brave, courageous, and the smartest woman I've ever met. You know how to figure out problems with everyday items, and you're always so positive and kind. I can't help but be in love with you after discovering you're Marinette, who happens to be even kinder, smarter, and more creative than Ladybug."

Her breath sucked in. This was the second confession she had received today. Her eyes teared up, her vision blurring. "Chat…"

His finger rested gently over her lips as he leaned towards her ear. "I love you," he whispered, and a tremor rocked through her at those words as his arms wrapped around her. "And if you don't want me, all you have to do is say so, princess."

Her hands pressed against his chest - not enough to push him away, but enough to keep him from pressing her bodily into the wall as he nuzzled her neck. "Chat…" she repeated, breathless.

 _What am I doing?_ she screamed inwardly as Chat's lips brushed along her jawline. _I'm dating Adrien_ _, not Chat!_

All of the days spent with Chat flashed through her mind. She was completely herself with him, and she had a feeling he had been completely himself even though he wore a mask. His flirtations and insinuating comments sprang to mind, and with a start, she realized she had grown fond them. Even more than that, she had learned that he had a wealth of knowledge in mundane things, as well - history included.

 _I like Chat Noir_ , she realized just as his lips touch hers in a gentle, cautious kiss - ready to pull back at the slightest bit of rejection.

Marinette's palms flattened against his chest, no longer pushing against him. He nibbled on her lip, and she gasped; he took this opportunity to deepen the kiss, and once again, Marinette didn't pull back.

Her arms, almost of their own volition, wrapped around his neck and pulled him even closer. He groaned, his hands sliding down her waist as he pressed her into the wall.

A slow fire burned within Marinette, fueled by the heat of Chat's body against her own. Something nagged in her mind; she had been doing something important before this, something very important…

His hand pulled her knee up, and she wrapped her leg around his waist as he supported her against the wall. The fire in the pit of her stomach grew, and she tangled her fingers in his hair, losing all sense of where they were.

Suddenly, he pulled back, shakily taking in one deep breath after another. "Marinette," he breathed, and her name on his lips lit another fire in her.

"Hmm?" she hummed, following after him to plant soft kisses along his jawline. He trembled underneath her touch, and she vaguely registered that they were on the floor with her knees straddling his hips.

"We… should… stop…" he said brokenly, each word sounding weaker than the last. His hands constricted around her as she ran her fingers down his spine. "Ngh. You'll be the death of me…"

"Come on, kitty," she crooned, tangling her hand in his hair again as she looked in his eyes. "Isn't this what you wanted?"

His breathing turned ragged as his eyes dilated. He closed those beautiful bright green eyes, turning his head away as he said choppily, "Truth Serum… needs to be… stopped."

 _This_ woke her up. Gasping, Marinette tossed herself backwards, hitting her head against the wall. "I-I-I - "

Chat Noir didn't move. He merely kept his eyes closed, his face turned away - although she saw a rueful smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "If I had known you liked me, I would have tried harder," he said before continuing, "We need to figure out a plan to catch her without her shooting us again."

Marinette remembered then that the truth-inducing bullet had only hit her _arm_. If just a simple hit could make her this way, what would a full blast do? She stared at him in wonder. "You've been holding back since yesterday?" she asked quietly.

He nodded, his eyes still closed. "I'll admit, I want to show you my real identity, too, but apparently kissing you took precedence." He smirked now.

She blushed, standing up quickly and brushing off invisible dirt. "W-well, we should go… d-don't look."

She fidgeted nervously, suddenly embarrassed. She felt as if she was about to start changing in front of him. _This is ridiculous,_ she thought to herself. _Why am I suddenly so nervous around him?_

"Tikki, spots on." Her kwami, who had been hiding silently in the purse, zipped out in relief. Her transformation moment lasted only a few seconds, but with Chat Noir's tightly squeezed eyes facing the ground, it felt like eternity.

"Okay," she said as soon as it was done. She glanced around, avoiding his gaze - although she knew he was approaching her.

"Mari - Ladybug," he corrected himself, grabbing her arm. She turned around to see him peeking at her with one eye, the other one tightly shut. As soon as he saw her face, though, his jaw clenched and he closed his eyes again. "I got shot twice," he blurted, hanging his head. "I was able to restrain myself yesterday, but after getting hit by that second shot…"

Marinette stared at him, aghast. Sometime between when she had seen him yesterday and now, he had gotten shot _a second time_. She wondered how he had managed to control himself around her to this extent.

"Try not to get shot again, kitty," she whispered, touching his arm and kissing his cheek before she even realized what she was doing. She blushed just as his eyes popped open. "Sorry."

"I'll protect you," he stated, lifting her hand to his lips and kissing her fingers.

"Let me protect _you_ this time," she said softly, running her fingers through his hair and across his ears with a slight smile on her face.

"Aww, how _adorable_ ," Truth Serum mocked as she entered the room, leveling her gun at them.

Chat Noir moved to stand in front of her, but she stopped him, shielding him from Truth Serum's gun. "We need to stop her from using the gun," she murmured to him, feeling his breath on her neck. "Wh-what are you doing?"

Chat inhaled before pulling away reluctantly. "Pardon me, mi'lady. You simply smell irresistible."

She ignored the flutter that went through her, knowing it was simply because of the truth serum bullet. _Wait… Truth serum. That means…_

She shook off her disturbing thoughts. This wasn't the time to be thinking about her personal feelings and who she liked more. She pulled her yo-yo off her hip, preparing to call for her Lucky Charm.

"Oh, no, you don't!" Truth Serum cried, aiming her gun at Marinette.

A familiar black blur darted between Marinette and the gun, his claws raking across the barrel before Marinette could react.

 _Bang_.

The barrel, damaged by Chat's claws, exploded.

Chat Noir was blown backwards as Truth Serum screeched from her damaged weapon. Falling into Marinette, they tumbled backwards into the desks. He tried to get up only to slump into her lap, gasping for breath. Blood coated his torso where scraps of the shredded metal had sliced into him.

"Chat!" Marinette screamed, cradling his head. Tears raced down her face; she didn't even notice Truth Serum limping out of the room, muttering darkly about repairs. "Chat, stay with me! _Chat_!"

He didn't respond.

* * *

 _A/N: Please don't hate me... My style is "cliffhangers and high tension."_


	14. A Forgotten Promise

_A/N: 51 followers! This calls for celebration... How does a surprise chapter sound? Enjoy. ;) Thank you so much for all the words of praise! I'm currently working on Part 4 of_ Switch _episode, which is right after_ Truth Serum _. That is where more fun stuff happens! Please don't hate me for what will occur in_ Switch _..._

* * *

Truth Serum: Part Three

Somehow or another, she managed to get him back to her place without anyone noticing the two struggling heroes. Luckily, his suit was black and hers was red, so the blood wasn't too obvious.

Leaning him back on her chaise, she bit her lip, wondering what she should do first. A compress for his bruises? Or rubbing alcohol and tweezers for the shrapnel in his chest?

She quickly checked his pulse and breathing; both were strong and regular when compared to her own. She quickly gathered medical supplies, her fingers fumbling with the bell around his neck as she unhooked it so she could access the zipper underneath. It jangled loudly.

She peeled his leather suit away from his injured chest, biting her lip to keep from sobbing as she stared at where the shrapnel had torn into him. She picked up the tweezers and a towel soaked in rubbing alcohol, mentally preparing herself for the task ahead.

Luckily, the injury wasn't as bad as she had thought; most of the torn metal had only made surface wounds. Those that were a bit deeper didn't go past his skin; apparently, his suit had acted as a buffer, keeping him from being shredded by the impact of the exploding barrel.

After she was done bandaging him, she touched his face lightly as a few tears slipped down her face. His breathing was regular, but he hadn't woken up during her treatment.

"Wake up soon, Chat," she whispered, resting her head on his arm. "Please."

* * *

Adrien opened his eyes, groggy. Pain lanced through his chest as he inhaled sharply, momentarily not recognizing his surroundings.

Something pinned his right arm down. He cautiously reached over, his fingers encountering soft hair. He angled his head down as much as he could, instantly recognizing Marinette's blue-black hair even though it was not in its trademark pigtails.

She stirred as his fingers ran through her hair. Her head jerked up, her eyes wide as she stared at him. "Chat!"

He smiled tiredly. "Hey there, bug-a-boo. Did we get her?"

She burst into tears.

Stunned, Adrien's smile slipped from his face as he reached for her, wanting to wipe away her worries. "Marinette? What happened?"

"I-I thought…" she sniffled, her fingers digging into the soft leather of his Miraculous suit. "There was so much blood, a-and you weren't waking up…"

"Hey, it's okay," he quickly comforted her, tugging her towards him to hug her tightly. He realized belatedly that his suit had been unzipped to his waist and bandages covered his chest; Marinette gripped the two sides of his suit as if they were a lifeline, her face buried into the nape of his neck. "I'm okay, Marinette."

"Stupid cat," she cried, her voice muffled. He could feel her hot tears striking his neck. "I was scared I had lost you. I can't do this without you, Chat Noir; you're not allowed to die, you hear me? You're-you're not allowed to…"

Adrien's arms had been slowly wrapping around her. However, at her last sentence, he froze. "Mari…"

"You're my partner," she rambled. "Partners-partners don't leave each other, you hear me? You need to promise me, Chat. Promise me you'll never leave me."

His heart twisted at this. "I can't do that."

Her head lifted. She stared at him, incredulous. "Wha - "

"Not until you tell me," he continued, staring straight into her eyes. "If you had to pick between me and Agreste, which would you choose?" Truth Serum's effects must have still been in his system, because otherwise, he would never had said what he just did. It was true that he was both Chat and Agreste, but if he had to tell someone which was more like the real him, he would say it was Chat - but to make Marinette pick between the two versions of himself may prove to be very, very disastrous and heart-crushing.

Her face twisted in confusion. "Chat…" She shook her head. "Adrien was my first crush; he will always be special to me. However, I'm okay if we just remain friends. But you…" Her eyes teared up again as her fingers dug into his suit. "You're my _partner_ ; you've seen me at my worst. You've become a huge part of my life, Chat, and I-I don't know if I could live without you anymore."

His eyes widened at her confession, his lips parting in surprise. He had known how much she had liked his 'other half,' the one that constantly had to act prim and proper in society because he was told to. For her to say this…

Her hands cupped his face with a tenderness that left him speechless. She forced a smile onto her tear-streaked face. "I don't know when it happened, Chat, but I-I care too much about you to ignore it anymore."

Unable to form words to respond, he did the only thing he could think of to convey his feelings to her.

He kissed her.

It wasn't gentle and hesitant like the first one; instead, it was desperate and filled with years of pent-up feelings that he had had to tone down each and every single time he had seen her ever since they had met that fateful day in school. He pulled her even closer to him, ignoring the painful twinge from his bandaged wounds.

Marinette's hands tangled in his hair as she kissed him back, equally desperate to be close to him. Through her kiss, he could sense how much she had been worried for him - how much she _cared_ for him. A deep groan escaped his throat, and she gasped as he flipped them over with his catlike reflexes.

"You shouldn't move. Your wounds - " she started to warn him, but was cut off with a short gasp as he nibbled the side of her neck as he crouched over her.

"I don't care," he growled, his eyes hooded as he stared into her bluebell eyes. "I promise, Marinette."

"H-huh?" She couldn't tear away from his smouldering gaze, trapped as effectively as chains.

He nuzzled her ear, whispering, "I promise I won't leave you." A fresh wave of tears spilled over her cheeks, and he lovingly wiped them away. She grabbed his open vest and pulled him down, pressing her lips against his firmly.

* * *

Marinette opened her eyes, her head feeling like it was about to split open. She closed them again, wishing the headache would go away. She buried her head in her pillow, never wanting to leave her bed again. However, two voices from the chaise in her room caught her attention.

"You finished pigging out?"

"Shut up. You're not the one having to maintain a suit for hours on end because _you_ refuse to tell her your real identity."

"You know why, Plagg. You were there when I promised her."

A tiny sigh. "Yeah, yeah. Still, though; I think it's a bad idea. She's probably going to be enfuriated when she _does_ find out."

"I'll deal with that when the time comes. In the meantime, I want to keep my word to her."

"Exactly how important is that when she doesn't even remember asking you to promise that you won't reveal yourself so she could figure it out on her own this time? This is all so stupid…"

"You know why, Plagg. Are you done eating?"

"Last bite. You should at least give her some hints - "

"Plagg, claws out!"

"H-hey! At least let me digest!"

Marinette kept her eyes shut and her back turned to the chaise. Her mind swirled with questions, although some of her initial ones had been answered.

Chat Noir hadn't told her his identity because _she_ had made him promise not to. Not only that, but it had something to do with her finding out again on her own. It felt like she was playing a game of cat and mouse - except it was against her own lost memories. She had been playing a game against herself, yet she didn't remember the rules.

She thought of last night, her face turning crimson as she remembered what had happened. She had made out with Chat Noir, even confessing to him that she cared more about him than Adrien, the one she was _dating_ right now.

She groaned, a little louder than intended. An added weight behind her on the bed alerted her of Chat's presence right before he spoke. "Is something wrong, Princess?"

She buried her head into her pillow, not looking at him. "It's your fault."

He shifted behind her. Her eyes popped open as she realized he was climbing into the bed, stretching out next to her. He placed his hand on her shoulder, trying to pull her over so he could see her face, but she didn't concede. "What did I do?"

She curled into a ball. "I-I'm dating Adrien," she blurted. She felt his hand on her shoulder go still. "B-but now I like you, and…"

He chuckled, startling her. She peeked at him from her pillow. He grinned at her. "Don't worry about it, mi'lady. I'll talk to him."

"He got shot by Truth Serum," she blurted, "and said he liked me."

He stilled, his eyes slowly widening at her words as he came to some revelation. "I'm sorry," he breathed regretfully. "I-I didn't… I wasn't thinking, and I made you choose."

He got up, reaching for the trapdoor above them. Seeing he was about to leave, Marinette bolted upright and grabbed his arm. "Wait - "

"Marinette! Are you up? You're going to be late for school!" her mother called up the stairs.

Chat Noir smiled at her solemnly, looking as if he had just lost the love of his life. "I'm sorry if I confused you, mi'lady. I'll stop; I know how much you've liked Agreste."

"Wait, you stupid cat!" Marinette hissed.

"Marinette?" Mrs. Dupain-Cheng's voice is closer to the door now.

"I'll be down in a minute, Mom!" Marinette quickly threw at the door, grabbing Chat's arm as he opened the trapdoor. "Chat, _wait a minute_!"

He paused, watching her with a guarded expression. "What is it?"

"Did you miss _everything_ I said last night?" she fumed, her cheeks flushing at the memory. However, Truth Serum's effects hadn't worn off yet, so the brave words tumbled out of her. "Yes, I like Adrien Agreste, but I also like _you_. Adrien may have confessed to me, but…" she hesitated, whispering the next words. "It came a little too late."

* * *

Adrien was frozen to the spot, staring at her in stunned silence. "Too… late?" he repeated brokenly. She nodded. "Then…"

 _Then the reason why she hadn't responded to Adrien's confession wasn't because she was shocked, but because she had been torn between the two people she liked - which, in the end, happen to_ be _the same person._

He still felt torn up inside for making her go through all of this. She thought she was cheating on him, not knowing that even if she was, she was cheating on him with himself. He had made a huge mess out of their relationship - and he hadn't even meant to. All because of a stupid promise and a selfish request.

He gave her a small smile, running his thumb along her jawline. "But… you still like him, don't you? Don't ruin that relationship, please. I'll still be here; I won't leave you, Princess."

Curse this Truth Serum's effects. If it hadn't been for it, there wouldn't have been this nasty little mess he had gotten himself into; he had dug his own grave. Now he dreaded the moment Marinette found out his identity.

 _But if she knew right now…_ He weighed his options. If he told her now, there was less likely a chance of repercussions. The longer he waited to tell her, the angrier she would be at him - he was sure of it.

 _Screw my promise to her,_ he thought, throwing caution out the trapdoor he had been about to walk through. "Marinette, I'm - " he rushed out, suddenly desperate.

"Ahhh, I gotta get to school!" Marinette cried, glancing at the time. She leaped out of bed, diving for her closet. "I'm sorry, Chat, I'll talk to you later! We can search for Truth Serum afterwards, okay?"

Without waiting for him to answer, she closed the bathroom door to change.

Sighing, Adrien escaped out the roof, missing his opportunity to clear up his mistake. He didn't want to go home, but he knew that he should. He just hoped his father wouldn't hold him hostage…

An idea sprang to mind. Leaping across the city, he detransformed near Nino's place and whipped out his phone, quickly dialing his best friend.

"Hey, man, where were you?" Nino greeted him, his usually chill voice full of worry.

"Sorry," Adrien automatically apologized. "I… kinda stayed at Marinette's place." He slapped his hand over his mouth, mortified at what he had just said. "I-I mean, we didn't - she let me crash there - "

"Dude, chill." Adrien shut up. "You got hit by the bullet, didn't you?"

"Yes," he answered simply, sagging in relief. "How did you know?"

"Alya got shot. She… uh… she confessed to me." Nino went silent for a moment before suddenly exclaiming, "What are you doing outside my house?"

Adrien glanced up. Sure enough, Nino was peering down at him from his room, his jaw hanging open. "I-I need an alibi," the model admitted, smiling sheepishly up at his friend. "My dad can _not_ find out I crashed at Marinette's place."

Nino sighed. "I'll be down there in a minute."

"You can't tell Marinette or Alya that we did this, either," he quickly added, realizing a flaw in his plan; if it got back to Marinette that he had told Nino that he had crashed at her place, she would easily put two and two together.

"Gotcha." Nino didn't like drama any more than Adrien, and Adrien suspected Nino knew there was more behind the story than the model was telling him.

Nino opened the door a few minutes later. "Come on in, dude. Did you know we don't have school today? They just called my parents."

Adrien looked surprised. "No, I didn't know…"

Nino nodded. "Apparently, the new akuma is wreaking enough havoc that the school wanted everyone to stay home - Hey! Wait! Where are you going?"

"Sorry, Nino, but I'm going to check on Marinette," he threw over his shoulder lamely, even though it was the truth. "She had been hit by Truth Serum, too."

Nino waggled his eyebrows. "Oh, I see how it is."

This time, Adrien didn't dare correct him for fear of what would come out of his mouth this time. "We'll figure out a cover story later; sound good?" Nino gave him a thumbs-up.

* * *

 _A/N: Again, thank you so much for following my story. I'm glad all of you like it so much! I have many plans for it. *rubs hands together eagerly* However, according to my beta reader and cover artist, I am an 'evil writer.' You have been effectively warned._


	15. Equal Ground

_A/N: So... this chapter is coming significantly early because I am just so happy that I finished the_ Switch _episode and began my_ One Rainy Night _episode, which I have no clue_ _how long it will be! Might be shorter than my normal episodes... might be longer... I don't know!_ _I've been mostly winging this fanfic series (well, winging it the best I can... I'm a planner kind of writer, not a pantser, to use a NaNoWriMo reference)._

* * *

Truth Serum: Part Four

Marinette stared at her mother as she hung up the phone. "I guess you don't have school today, honey."

"Oh, okay…" she responded weakly. _I wonder if I can get a hold of Chat… we should look for Truth Serum since we have the day._

Marinette's heart suddenly ached. She couldn't stop thinking of Adrien and Chat and how she had liked Adrien for several years since that fateful day in junior high, but it was Chat she spent the majority of her time with.

Chat Noir took up a little bit more room in her heart than Adrien, it seemed.

She let her mother know she would be studying. After a few more minutes of chatting, she escaped to her room in the attic again. She paced, wondering what she should do.

 _Tap, tap, tap._

Relief shot through her as she heard the distinct sound of Chat at her trapdoor onto her balcony. "Tikki - "

"Marinette, wait!" Tikki cried, leaping in front of her. The little kwami's eyes were wide. "Before you see Chat again, you should really think about - "

"We need to defeat Truth Serum," Marinette explained to her simply, smiling reassuringly at Tikki. "I get what you mean, though, Tikki. Don't worry; I'm not planning on doing anything stupid."

"There's a good chance both of you may forget any of this ever happened after you purify the akuma," Tikki warned. Marinette was reminded of Dark Cupid when Chat had been shot and he had hated her; sure, this was a bit different, but the principle behind it was the same. She shivered.

"Adrien, too?" she asked.

Tikki nodded. "Probably."

"Got it." Taking a deep breath, she said, "Tikki, spots on."

When she finally opened the trapdoor, Chat Noir was pacing in agitation on the balcony. He glanced at her when she came out, relief evident in his gaze. "Ladybug."

Curious to know why he was acting so oddly, she tilted her head to the side. _Now isn't the time_ , she thought, mentally kicking herself. "Let's go."

"Wait, Marinette," Chat Noir suddenly said, using her real name. When she turned towards him, he straightened and looked straight into her bright bluebell eyes. "After the fight, I want to show you my real identity."

Marinette swallowed. She couldn't argue with him right now; her vocals wouldn't work. She wanted to know who he was behind the mask so badly, but… "I thought you didn't want to show me because of the promise."

His eyes widened. "You had heard…" he mumbled, but then shook his head. "I had, yeah, but I think me keeping it a secret from you is only causing more confusion between us - not only that, but I'm afraid it will actually drive us apart if it's kept up much longer."

She mulled over it, glancing over their beloved city. "Let's talk about it later, Chat. We need to catch Truth Serum."

"Yeah."

Luckily, it wasn't hard finding her. She was still in the area of the school, shooting anyone who came near her. They snuck into the school, finding her in the gym where she sat in the middle of the court, slumped over and dozing.

"She looks exhausted," Marinette murmured, gazing at her akumatized teacher in sympathy. "She must not have slept much last night."

"That's good for us, though," Chat pointed out. "Her aim might be off because of it."

"True…"

"I'll go around to the other entrance," Chat plotted, his eyes narrowing. "Her focus will be split, so we might have a better chance at taking her down."

"Good idea. I'll be decoy - "

"No, I will be."

Marinette puffed out her cheeks. "Chat, you've already been hit three times! I don't want to think what a fourth bullet will do to you."

"Aww, my lady cares," he crooned, grinning as he began creeping down the hallway. "Don't worry; I'll play it safe this time."

Marinette gnawed on her lip worriedly, watching Truth Serum through the crack in the gym door. Knowing Chat, he was going to burst through the door and saunter in, releasing one of his puns while twirling his baton.

He did just that. _So predictable_ , she thought, quietly leaping into the room and into the rafters of the gym. While Chat dodged the rippling bullets, Marinette planned her throw…

"Hold still, stupid cat!" Truth Serum growled, levering her gun at Chat.

 _Now,_ she thought, tossing her yo-yo down and wrapping it around the gun. She leapt from her perch, using Truth Serum as a balance to slow her fall.

A little under five feet from the floor, she released her hold on the akuma weapon and retracted her yo-yo. In one fluid motion, she threw her still retracting yo-yo back into the air, crying, "Lucky Charm!"

A black and red polka dot toothbrush fell into her hand, looking brand new and made of a hard plastic with a grippy rubber over the handle. She frowned at it.

Even Chat Noir seemed stumped. "Does she have that bad of breath?"

Truth Serum sniggered at the Lucky Charm. "That won't be able to help you."

Marinette glanced around, analyzing her situation. Lucky Charm wasn't a normal tool; it summoned the most uncommon yet practical item for the situation. Chat was only a foot away from her while Truth Serum was several yards back, preparing her gun for another shot.

Everything clicked together: Chat's claws. The toothbrush. The barrel of the gun.

"Chat," she said in as low of a voice as she could, "Use Cataclysm on the barrel."

"Got it," he breathed. "Cataclysm!" His claws dripped black acid as he charged at Truth Serum.

Truth Serum ducked and weaved under their attacks, shooting at them the best she could; another bullet grazed by Marinette, clipping her other arm. She gritted her teeth, restraining her sudden urge to admit she was terrified they would fail.

Chat Noir's claws finally raked across the barrel just as a blast knocked him backwards several feet. He grunted, landing on his back, and didn't move.

Marinette darted forward, jamming the end of the toothbrush into the barrel before Truth Serum could shoot off anymore of those painful bullets. The woman pulled the trigger.

 _Bang._

The barrel blew apart, the rusty metal unable to hold together underneath the jammed port. Startled, she dropped the broken weapon as the familiar sight of a black butterfly fluttered out of it.

"No more evil-doing for you, little akuma. Time to de-evilize," Marinette chastised the butterfly, catching it in one sweep of her open yo-yo. "Gotcha!" She clicked it open, and a white butterfly fluttered out. "Bye-bye, little butterfly."

Marinette picked up the Lucky Charm toothbrush. She glanced back at Chat Noir regaining consciousness; as soon as she sent it back, there was a good possibility they wouldn't remember anything that had happened these past two days.

 _Maybe this is what had happened when I had been akumatized,_ she thought sadly as Chat Noir struggled to his feet and staggered towards her.

"Ladybug," he gasped, stopping in front of her while holding his ribs. He smiled. "Do it."

Emotions washed through her. She didn't want to lose any memories with him, but she knew she had to release her Lucky Charm. "Chat - "

His lips stopped the words from leaving her. He kissed her softly, yet she could tell just from his touch that he didn't regret a thing.

"I will wait," he breathed, pressing his forehead against hers, "for you to like me for who I am as Chat Noir." He kissed her nose.

Tears welled into Marinette's eyes as she tossed the toothbrush up, saying the phrase to release it to the world. Everything repaired itself, even Miss Bustier's gun.

Chat Noir collapsed to the ground in front of her, passing out.

Marinette knelt next to him, suddenly panicked for her partner. Pulling him onto her lap, her grip nearly slipped when she felt how hot he was. "Hang on, Chat," she whispered, yet again having to transport an unconscious cat through Paris.

Once she was back to her house, she checked his wounds, but he was actually physically in better condition than he had originally been in before the battle; all that were left were the nasty bruises over his torso. However, he was running a high-grade temperature. She placed a compress over his forehead, hoping that would help bring it down.

 _Beep, beep, beep, beep._

Both Miraculouses were going haywire; she didn't care about hers, but she knew Chat was still trying to uphold his promise to her - a promise, she was harshly reminded of, that she didn't remember making with him.

Quickly scribbling out a note and grabbing a stash of cheese, she placed them on the table near the chaise and went downstairs. She left the door slightly open so Plagg could come down if he needed her.

Her parents were gone for the day. They had left a note explaining that a friend had come into town and they decided to spend the day and evening with them. She knew they wouldn't be back until late into the evening; it was only mid-morning right now, leaving plenty of time for the two heroes to recover.

Sighing, she collapsed onto the couch, mulling over everything that had happened. "Tikki."

Tikki, having found the stash of cookies, floated into the living room with her little hands full of the sweet chocolatey goodness. "Yes, Marinette?"

"How come I still remember the majority of what had happened?"

Tikki shrugged. "Miraculous wielders have a certain level of resistance to the effects of Lucky Charm. However, if you take a direct psychological hit like Chat did, you're much more likely to forget. You were only grazed, Marinette."

Marinette mulled over that. She remembered very clearly the way Chat had kissed her in the classroom right after he had confessed his feelings to her. She also remembered when she had been freaking out over the shrapnel in his chest, and what she had told him.

She covered her eyes. It was true; she couldn't imagine living her life without Chat by her side anymore. However, it didn't make any of it easier for her.


	16. A Heartfelt Confession

_A/N: I'm too excited for this fanfic for my own good. I created an original character for this little series that will tie in heavily with everything later on (you'll catch a glimpse of him in_ One Rainy Night _episode, which is after_ Switch _(the next episode after Truth Serum). So, in celebration of creating my cute little OC, I give you the final part of_ Truth Serum _episode..._

* * *

Truth Serum: Part Five

Adrien's head throbbed like crazy as he came to with an unfamiliar smell surrounding him. No… this smell wasn't unfamiliar; it just wasn't what he was used to waking up to. Slitting his eyes open, he tried to remember what had happened to him as he observed his surroundings.

He was in Marinette's room.

Sitting up gingerly on the chaise, he glanced around, noticing he was not transformed - and he wasn't wearing a mask. He paled, racking his brain as he tried so hard to remember everything that had happened; dropping by Marinette's place, going to the unveiling ceremony, watching Miss Bustier become akumatized, being shot by Truth Serum, running from Ladybug before he blurted out his true feelings… and then nothing. It was as if his memory between the time he had been shot and now had been wiped.

Looking around yet again, he saw a note beside a plate of mostly-eaten cheese. He lifted it gingerly, fearing the worst.

" _Chat Noir, my parents are out for the day, so you'll be safe here while you recover. I'll be on the couch downstairs whenever you wake up. The cheese is for Plagg._ "

 _She doesn't know,_ he thought, breathing deeply in both relief and disappointment. "Plagg?" he said quietly, looking for his kwami.

The black cat kwami crawled out from behind the last block of cheese, looking awful. "Never," he rasped, "let yourself be shot with a chemical four times in a row, man. That stuff gave me the worst hangover _ever_."

Adrien rubbed his head, wincing at the light pouring into the room. A hangover? Was that what this painful feeling was? "What do you mean, four times? What happened?"

Plagg looked at him, surprised. "You don't remember anything?"

Adrien shook his head, but instantly regretted that little motion. "I remember bits and pieces, like when I got shot the first time, but not much after that…"

Plagg's eyes widened. "Wow. That chemical must have really muddled your brain, then. A _lot_ happened after that." He glanced at the door, frowning slightly. "Marinette came up once, but she didn't see you. She told me to tell you to come down once you're awake, but…"

Adrien sighed, recognizing the way his kwami was skirting around the topic. "What happened, Plagg?"

"Her face was all red." The little black kwami shrugged it off. "But I guess that would happen after what you two had been through."

"What _happened_?" Adrien repeated, grinding his teeth together.

"Whoa, easy there," Plagg placated him, floating out of reach. "Ask your princess - if she can hold a sentence with you now, that is."

Adrien paled at this. Had she actually figured out his real identity? "Plagg, claws out!"

"Wait, I'm not done explaining - !"

Within seconds, Adrien was transformed into Chat Noir. He moved to stand up, but a sharp pain across his torso had him gasping on the edge of the chaise. He pulled his suit down enough to notice the bandages over his chest. _I had been injured…?_

A soft knock on the door had him glancing at it in alarm as he hurriedly zipped his suit back up. However, only Marinette's quiet voice drifted through. "Chat Noir? Are you up?"

"Yeah," he responded, relaxing on the edge of the chaise. "Come on in."

She hesitantly entered. Noticing he was still on the chaise, she fidgeted by the door, her cheeks turning slightly pink. "D-do you need anything?" she asked. "Water, more cheese…"

He watched her, frowning slightly. "I'll be honest, I don't remember much. What happened?"

She slowly approached the chaise. "You got shot four times by Truth Serum's bullets."

 _Four times_. He remembered how it had felt to be hit by _one_ of those. He also remembered the urges he had gotten with the first shot. He couldn't imagine what he had been like on _four_.

"Do you hate me?" he asked quietly, not looking at her.

"No! No, of course not." Marinette knelt in front of him and clasped his hands before releasing them just as quickly, her face flaming red.

His hand moved of its own volition. His fingers trailed down her jawline to her neck, and he picked up on her little gasp and the way she trembled underneath his fingers.

He jerked his hand away as if he had touched fire. "I'm so sorry," he exclaimed, rubbing the back of his head while laughing slightly. "I think part of that serum might still be in my system…"

Marinette bit her lip, watching his movements. "You're still injured," she whispered, barely audible. "Let me help you."

He froze. Something had _definitely_ happened; Marinette had never acted this way in front of him before. He snatched her wrists as she began to pull back, stopping her from moving away.

He slowly released her after seeing her apple-red cheeks. "Did… did I…" he stammered, appalled. _Please say no, please say no, please say no._ Sure, he liked her, but he never wanted to do anything against her will.

"N-nothing like that happened!" Marinette exclaimed in a rush, waving her hands between them frantically. "J-just a k-k-kiss…"

Adrien's head sank into his hands. He embraced the sharp pain bending over brought on; he deserved it. He couldn't look at Marinette. "I'm sorry," he breathed, feeling as if those words couldn't possibly convey how regretful and shameful he felt right now. "I… I never wanted to… to…"

Marinette pulled his hands down. He met her gaze, startled. She smiled at his flabbergasted look. "Don't worry about it, kitty. Just… let me help you, okay?"

"Okay," he complied weakly, suddenly overwhelmed with the urge to kiss her. Maybe the drug wasn't fully out of his system. "How long have I been here?"

"Only about two hours," she said as she unzipped his suit.

"W-wait." His hand wrapped around hers as he stared at her with wide eyes. "What are you doing?"

"You're injured," she said simply, staring at his exposed collarbone.

He looked down and sees a nasty red-purple bruise covering the skin. The edge of one of the bandages was also visible. He returned his gaze to her. "I don't think I'm ready for this level of our relationship, though…"

Her lips pulled tight as she fought back a giggle - an unexpected reaction. Usually, she would roll her eyes at his jokes. "Oh well, kitty. Unless you want to go to a hospital, I'll be helping you out today."

He released her hand but continued to watch her as she unzipped his suit to his waist with no hesitation or fumbling, alerting him that she had done this before. She pulled off the bloody bandages, but there were no wounds underneath, only bruises. Two big purple bruises covered his front; the one stretching over the left side of his collarbone was about five inches wide, while the one over his abdomen looked almost as big as a volleyball. No wonder he felt like he had been punched with a ramming mechanism.

He winced as she helped him take off the sleeves, feeling his shoulders and collarbone ache with every new movement.

A shiver raced through him as her fingers trailed over the bruised skin on his back, running over both shoulder blades and his spine. He glanced over his shoulder at her, fighting to grin through the pain. "I know I'm good-looking, but no need to gape, bugaboo."

"I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice breaking.

Startled, he tried to twist to look at her, but his side objected to that motion. He hissed, cradling his ribs.

Her cool hands rested on his shoulder - a part of him that wasn't injured. Her fingers trembled slightly. A warm droplet landed on his back just as he felt her hair tickle him between the shoulderblades. "I'm sorry…" she repeated.

 _Don't cry_.

"It wasn't your fault," he quickly said, touching her hand on his shoulder.

"Yes, it was," she gasped, clenching his hand in hers. "If I had been more careful, you wouldn't have been shot the first time, and if it wasn't for you trying to defend me, you would have been able to dodge the others…"

 _Don't cry, princess._

"I would have taken those shots for you, anyway," he murmured.

Feeling her head lift away from him, he leaned back and rested his head in her lap, smiling at her startled expression. He reached up and knocked away her tears with an ungloved hand. "I'll be fine, Marinette. I just need to - "

"I can't lose you." Fresh tears welled up in her eyes. "Not after - not after - "

His hand froze on her face, realization slamming into him like a brick wall - which, right now, would be very painful. _She_ had been hit, too, and had come to some realization of her own. "Mari, what are you - "

He nearly choked on his own words as her face came closer, but all she did was rest her forehead on his shoulder. Her fingers tangled in his hair. "Please, Chat," she whispered. "Don't do something so stupid like that again. I thought you were going to die."

 _What happened?_ This time, he didn't say it out loud, knowing it wouldn't be answered. Instead, he touched her hand, closing his eyes briefly. _I can't promise you that,_ he thought, smiling resignedly. _I'll always try to protect you; you're my princess, after all._

"You were running a fever when I brought you here," she rambled, her fingers wrapping around his and squeezing tightly. "Then - then your Miraculous ran out of time, s-so I left and cracked open the door so Plagg could come down if he needed me…"

Adrien blinked, confused. Plagg hadn't said anything about going downstairs. "What did he say?"

She shook her head, her hair tickling his face. "He didn't come down, so I came up. I was careful not to look over, but he noticed me and told me you were doing better."

"Marinette." She didn't respond. "Bugaboo."

She lifted her tear-stricken face, staring at him. "Chat…"

He wiped away her tears, smiling slightly. "I'll be fine. I just need to rest."

She gave him a shaky smile. "Okay. Do you want some ice…?"

He glanced down at his bare chest, only now remembering that he was completely shirtless in front of her. He sighed, taking stock of his injuries. "An ice-cold bath would probably work better."

* * *

Marinette fidgeted at her computer, trying _very hard_ not to listen to the sounds of water shifting in the tub or the painful hisses Chat Noir emitted as he soaked in the cold water. Plagg munched on some cheese on her desk, Tikki sitting near him and watching him.

"Tikki, why didn't Chat Noir's injuries heal all the way?" Marinette asked her kwami.

Surprisingly, Plagg was the one who answered. Popping the last bite of cheese in his mouth, he talked around it. "Usually, an akumatized victim's weapon is generated from something of the individual's mind; because of this, Lucky Charm can dispel the effects of it. However, Truth Serum's bullets were infused with Hawk Moth's personal power, making her stronger and more formidable. Because of this, the attacks were more brutal."

Tikki nodded. "Your arms are still bruised, aren't they, Marinette?"

Marinette touched her arms lightly, feeling the sting of the bruises. "Yeah… but not as badly as before."

"It's because the Lucky Charm managed to dispel the amount of damage _she_ had inflicted, but Hawk Moth's damage still remains." Tikki nibbled on a cookie. "You need to find what Hawk Moth infused his power into and purify _that_ to get rid of the other damage he had inflicted."

"I can't believe he would do something like this," she whispered just as her bathroom door opens.

"Plagg," Chat Noir called through the cracked door.

Too low for him to hear, Plagg grumbled, "That boy should just tell you his real identity already."

"Why doesn't he?" Marinette asked, frowning slightly. She had gotten the gist of the situation over time, but maybe she could get a straight answer out of the little kwami.

"Because you asked him not to tell you about what had happened when you were akumatized." He stared at her. "Plus, he wants you to fall for him as Chat Noir before you know of his real identity."

"Plagg! Where are you?"

"You should hurry," Marinette said, urging the little cat kwami towards the bathroom.

"He better give me more cheese for this," he grumbled, floating over to the door.

Tikki shook her head, sighing heavily. "You both are ridiculous. Why not just go ahead and tell him you like him? Then you'll get to find out who he really is."

"No, Tikki," Marinette said firmly. "There's Adrien, and - " she gasped. "Adrien!"

"Wh-what?" Chat Noir stammered, shocked.

Marinette whirled on Chat Noir, her eyes wide. His hair was still dripping from condensation. "Adrien was hit by Truth Serum's gun, too, as well as some other students! Do you think they were injured, as well?"

Tikki immediately shook her head. "I think the blasts for both of you were more powerful to try to expose your real identities. Do you remember feeling the urge to expose your real identity, Chat Noir?"

Chat frowned slightly, carrying the towel he had used for his hair. "Vaguely, yeah." He turned to Marinette, a cautious, guarded expression on his face. "What were you saying about Adrien?"

Her face clouded over. "Well, you see, Adrien had been hit by the bullet, and…" she chewed on her lip, finally blurting, "He confessed he really likes me."

The towel slipped from his fingers, pooling on the floor. He stared at her, shock written all over his face.

 _Oops,_ Marinette berated herself, too late to take it back. _I guess… I shouldn't have told him that._

* * *

 _A/N: Have I mentioned I thrive off of writing cliffhanger endings? ;)_


	17. The Switch

_A/N: I couldn't help it. I am so excited to see what everyone thinks about this episode. Enjoy part one of the beginning of chaos... because from here on out, all chains have been cut loose from my rampantly creative mind. This is where things start changing - this is where the_ switch _from light and fluffy to deep and dark happens_ _. Enjoy.  
_

* * *

Episode Four: Switch

Part One

Adrien stared at Marinette in shock, his heart rate picking up again. He had thought his heartbeat couldn't go any faster when she had called out his name earlier, but it thundered in his ears now.

He had confessed to her.

The worst part, though, is _he didn't remember it_.

"G-good for you," he congratulated, mentally beating himself up for stammering. "What did you say?"

She glanced away, looking as if she wanted to take back her words. "Ah… I… I couldn't answer him. He ran out of the room before I could stop him, and then Truth Serum came in. That's when you showed up."

Adrien rubbed his jaw, thoughtful. The deep chill the bath had infused in him kept the pain from his injuries muted. "Well, since he was hit by the Truth Bullet, then I guess you know it has to be true," he said in an even voice. "I guess the real question is why the shots for _us_ were so painful and intense."

"Tikki and Plagg were telling me it had something to do with Hawk Moth's power," Marinette explained as he sat down gingerly on the chaise.

"Hawk Moth must have infused the butterfly with more power than usual," Tikki explained, floating between them. "The second dose of power must have been absorbed into something else that hadn't been broken or captured by the Lucky Charm, because both of you are still injured and affected by the Truth Bullets."

Adrien and Marinette looked at one another. _Now I know why she isn't acting like normal, even for her,_ he thought, smirking slightly. "What is it, bugaboo? Cat got your tongue?"

 _This_ made her face turn as red as her suit. She rushed to the bathroom, closing the door behind herself.

He blinked, startled by her reaction. "What did I say?"

Tikki shook her head, sighing. "She's probably embarrassed by what had happened."

He eyed her speculatively. "Any chance _you_ will tell me?"

"No way!" Tikki quickly objected, landing on the desk. "This is between you two. Just give her time."

He sighed, turning on the news while Marinette gathered her wits. _I guess whatever had happened had shocked her pretty badly,_ he thought, remembering what she had said. _We had kissed? I wish I had remembered that… Although she's acting like we had done more than just -_

"Looks like we're having an emergency broadcast from the streets in front of Eiffel Tower," the news anchor exclaimed, touching the side of her head as if listening to someone through her earpiece. "Transfer it over."

The scene switched to the front of the world-famous tower where three people stood beneath it. A man with bright green hair grinned wickedly at the two lovers in front of him; the guy had long blonde hair and was in a flowery pink dress while the girl had short, messy brown hair and dressed in casual pants and a button-up shirt that strained against her bust. They looked down at themselves and then at one another before collapsing to the ground in shock.

The camera zoomed out to expose a man with a microphone. "What you just saw was this man literally _switching_ everything on the couple; hair, clothes, and even jewelry. He seems to do it with a flick of his wrist!"

"Marinette!" he called out, striding to the bathroom door and knocking on it. "We need to go."

She cracked open the door, looking at him in confusion. "What's wrong?"

He pointed at the screen. The green-haired man was now approaching the unsuspecting newsman. "Looks like Hawk Moth just akumatized someone else."

As if on cue, the green-haired man pointed his finger at the newsman. He screamed, his hair and clothes switching to become more like a tourist. The green-haired man snagged the microphone and grinned at the camera. "The name's Switch, and if you know what's best for you, you will all be good little boys and girls and _stay_ _inside_."

They stared at the screen. Dread coiled within Adrien's stomach. "He's planning something," he muttered, fingering his pole.

"Tikki, spots on!"

He glanced over just in time to see her flick on her mask as her entire body was encased in her black and red polka dot suit. "Sorry," he muttered, quickly averting his gaze.

"You've seen it before," was all she said, breezing by him.

He stared after her, stunned. _She couldn't have remembered,_ he thought, thinking of when she had been akumatized. _Maybe… when I had been shot?_

* * *

Marinette glanced back at her partner on the roof they had paused on, noting how he winced at every sharp movement. "Will you be all right, Chat Noir?"

He grinned at her. "I can endure anything for you, mi'lady."

She quickly looked away. "Just… be careful." Her words from earlier came back to her, words spoken while still under the influence of that Truth Bullet. _I can't lose you_.

They arrived at the Eiffel Tower within minutes. Chat Noir landed a little heavily, but other than that, he seemed fine. They glanced around, not seeing anyone at all.

"And here I had told everyone to stay inside," someone complained behind them. They turned around to see the akumatized man, although this time his hair was a bright, spiky orange and his clothes were warm-colored.

Marinette pulled her yo-yo free, immediately spinning it. Chat Noir was a little slower at raising his baton, extending it just enough to spin it slowly between his fingers in preparation for a fight.

Switch examined them critically. "You know what? You both would look better _this_ way." He flicked his wrist.

Marinette, expecting him to do that, flicked her yo-yo at him, knocking his hand aside. He frowned quizzically, not looking phased that his aim had been thrown off. She grinned at him. "Wasn't expecting _that_ , were you?"

"Hmm… I wonder why it didn't completely switch…" he murmured to himself, looking between them. "Oh, well. This is still interesting."

Marinette and Chat Noir glanced at one another, doing a double take. Chat's hair had gained blonde pigtails. Marinette's hair had turned a fine messy style that didn't look too bad.

Marinette gritted her teeth. "Let's get this over with, Chat," she muttered as she spun her yo-yo at high speeds from irritation.

"I need more…" Switch whispered, staring at his hands. "Give me more; give me more so I can change these buffoons!"

The telltale butterfly outline appeared around Switch's face. He grinned, sprinting down the street - _away_ from them.

Marinette moved to follow, but a pained groan from her left had her whirling towards Chat Noir, panicked he had been hurt without her realizing it. However, he was only staring in horror at his reflection in a car's window. "I prefer the pigtails on you, mi'lady, not _me_." He quickly pulled down the pigtails and put his hair up into a low ponytail, looking _very_ roguish.

Marinette swallowed, her mouth going dry at his new look. An illogical thought crossed her mind. _If Adrien grew his hair out and put it in a ponytail, no one would be able to resist him_. She shook her head, wondering where _that_ had come from.

"W-we should go after him," she said, jogging in the direction Switch had gone.

They found him in the park where Miss Bustier had been akumatized. He was laughing maniacally, a dark gleam in his eyes as he held his hand out towards the approaching heroes.

"This time," he rasped, his voice thick, " _this_ time, it should work."

Marinette threw her yo-yo at him at the same time that Chat Noir extended his pole, hitting Switch in the gut. Falling back, he laughed breathlessly, looking triumphant. "Too… late."

Marinette and Chat glanced at one another, startled. Their eyes widen as they take in the other's hair. Marinette's wavy locks had turned a fine blonde, complimenting her bluebell eyes perfectly; Chat's had turned a blue-black, blending in with his suit and making him look more like a green-eyed cat than ever before. The ponytail only added to the effect.

"Well," Chat said conversationally, "I hope all of this goes back to normal, because this will be _very_ hard to explain to everyone."

Switch struggled to his feet, grinning. "It won't."

Marinette immediately swung her yo-yo at him, thinking to tie him up while he was on the ground. He waved his hand, and she stared at Chat's baton in her hand. Glancing over, she saw her yo-yo in Chat's claws.

"Catch!" Chat quickly called out, tossing her yo-yo to her. She flicked his baton towards him in return.

"Na-ah-ah," Switch chastised, waggling his finger.

She caught the object flying towards her. With a sinking feeling in her gut, she stared at Chat's baton. Panic welled in her. Switch was more of a challenge than she had expected; despite not landing any physical blows on them, he had already gained some time just by keeping her yo-yo from her.

She glanced at Chat Noir, her eyes wide. She saw the same look in his eyes; he had come to the same conclusion.

"Chat, use - urgh!" Marinette choked, feeling as if a giant hand was squeezing her to death.

"And now," Switch wheezed, straining himself as his hands pointed to both Chat Noir and Marinette at the same time. A visible rippling cone expanded from his hands, engulfing both of them. "For my… greatest… switch of all…"

Marinette collapsed to her knees, her legs giving out from underneath her. She curled up on the ground, whimpering as it felt like something important to her had been ripped out of her only to be forcefully replaced with something darker and consuming. She distantly heard two distinct shrieks, and wondered if they were her's and Chat's - or someone else's.

As the giant hand released her, she sucked in air. Smells flooded her senses, sending her into a mad spin until her head lolled on the ground. She felt as if the volume of the entire world had been turned up; her ear pressed against the ground could hear the traffic of a busy intersection she knew was two blocks down the street. Chat's ragged breathing was distracting to say the least.

Blinking her eyes, she stared at the crisp detail she could make out on Switch's foot several yards away. Fighting to sit up, she grimaced at Switch as she gripped Chat's baton tightly. She lunged at him, beyond furious as something that had been locked away within her was released. Why did he find this so funny? He was ruining people's lives! Didn't he see how much he was hurting each time he hurt another?

Marinette could see it. She could see it almost like an aura around him; a thick purple haze tinged with brown and grey. She nearly felt emotionally drained just being near it.

She wanted to destroy that aura.

* * *

 _A/N: I took some creative liberty with some of Chat's powers in this chapter. I'd like to think that, being of the destruction kwami, he can see certain types of auras that would most likely cause chaos and destruction around him, helping him pick them out in a crowd and whatnot. I thought it would be fun to write it that way; where Ladybug sees the good in people, Chat Noir sees the bad._


	18. Familiar Eyes

_A/N: Thanks for the patience with the update! Life decided to throw a curveball my way. A pleasant one, but it still took me away from my computer for a bit. Anyways, enjoy the next part of the_ Switch _episode!_

* * *

Switch: Part Two

Adrien coughed, clutching his ribs as he stayed in the fetal position. He took in one ragged breath after another, feeling as if his ribs had been squeezed nearly to the breaking point - they had already been tender to begin with. He felt as if something had been ripped out of him, breaking a hole into his torso where his heart was. Blearily, he opened his eyes, needing to know if Ladybug was all right.

She was gone.

Panicked, Adrien glanced around, wondering if she had just been thrown back. An infuriated yell had him whipping his head around to look in the direction of Switch.

A short blonde girl in a skin-tight black leather suit complete with cat ears and a tail executed a series of strikes against Switch with the baton in her hands, completely blind in her rage. Switch wasn't able to dodge all of the strikes, and soon, he was kneeling on the ground, begging her to stop.

She held her hand towards Adrien, her gaze focused warily on Switch. "Chat, give me the yo-yo!"

"Uh…" he breathed, unable to say anything.

The girl glanced at him. She had catlike bluebell eyes, slit in anger and determination. They suddenly dilated in shock as she stared at him, too. "Chat…?" she breathed, the baton clattering to the ground.

Adrien glanced at the yo-yo in his hand. A red-and-black polka dot glove encapsulated his hand and arm, matching the yo-yo perfectly. He glanced down at the rest of himself just to confirm what he had just seen on his hand.

Sure enough, he was in Ladybug's Miraculous suit.

"Bet you don't even know how to use the other's powers," Switch sniggered, taunting them.

Adrien slowly eased himself to his feet, staring at Switch with wide eyes. He tried to see that dark, ominous aura he had grown accustomed to seeing around akumatized individuals, but it was nowhere in sight.

 _No._

He strained his ears, listening for the traffic he had heard only seconds before. Nothing.

 _My powers are gone._

"Chat, use Lucky Charm!" Ladybug snapped out.

His eyes widened at her words. Glancing down at the yo-yo, he was suddenly very, very unsure of himself. Would her powers work with him? What if he messed up?

Switch cackled. "Chat Noir and Ladybug - more like Kitty Noir and Gentlebug now." He grabbed the forgotten baton and knocked it against the back of Lady - no, Kitty Noir's legs, effectively knocking her off her feet. She fell onto her back, her head striking the ground.

 _This_ brought him to his senses. Tossing the yo-yo into the air, he shouts, "Lucky Charm!" A red-and-black polka dotted tennis ball fell from the sky, and he fumbled to catch it.

Meanwhile, Kitty Noir leaped to her feet again. Switch wasn't strong, so it wasn't hard for her to twist the baton out of his grasp. She leaped back several paces, bouncing on the balls of her feet. A grin spread across her face. "Toss it this way, Chat!"

 _Still so resourceful_ , he thought, chucking the ball towards her. She swung the baton like a baseball bat, effectively striking the small ball. It hurtled towards Switch; he raised his hands to defend his face.

That was when Adrien noticed the man's fancy ring.

Despite the nice pitch and the perfect hit, Switch managed to keep his ring undamaged from the ball. He sniggered at them, raising the hand towards them. "I wonder what you would do if your bodies were switched, too…"

Adrien paled. He took a step back.

An arm wrapped around his waist. Startled, he looked into a pair of blue cat eyes. "Hold on," she mumbled, pressing the button on the baton to extend it. Within seconds, they were out of sight of Switch.

"Do you think it's a good idea to let him go?" Adrien asked, glancing over her shoulder towards the Eiffel Tower.

Her blonde hair - no, _his_ blonde hair on her - tickled his face as she shook her head. "No, but we messed up, Chat. I'm not used to your Miraculous, and you're not used to mine. I overcompensated in my hit, and he saw through it." She was quiet as she worked her way back to her house, still carrying him. "You never told me you could see… that."

"I thought you could see it, too," he breathed, suddenly worried about her. "How are you holding up? Do you need to rest?"

She shook her head. "It seems as if the Chat Noir Miraculous has higher strength abilities than the Ladybug one." They landed on her roof, and she released him. He winced, immediately sitting down on the chair.

"Are you all right, Chat?"

Startled by how close she had sounded, he looked up. Her bluebell cat eyes filled his gaze, and he drowned inside the beautiful flowery color. His lips parted in awe. _Beautiful_ , he thought.

Marinette's head tilted to the side in confusion, her brows creasing together. He looked as though he had just seen an angel descend from the sky. "What is it?"

His hand slowly rose and touched something on her head. "You're… a cat."

* * *

Patting the top of her head, she realized with a start that - sure enough - there were two ears up there. She dropped down into her room and stared at herself in the mirror.

Chat Noir's suit molded to her body, accenting all of her curves. Two ears peeked from her unruly hair, and her blue eyes were slitted like a cat's. A leather tail hung behind her.

Her lips parted in shock. She looked _good_ in it.

Chat slowly made his way into her room. She finally realized what looked so different about him; his hair, which had always made him look more like an alley cat, looked more civilized with it pulled back into the black ponytail. His eyes were like a normal person's, as well.

 _Wait… I know those eyes_ , she thought, gazing into the green orbs. A name eluded her.

"Looks like more than just the outfit got switched," he said grimly, accenting his ears with cupped hands. Two Ladybug earrings adorn his earlobes.

She couldn't help the snigger that worked its way up her throat. "They look good on you, _Gentlebug_!" She smirked at him.

He blushed, rubbing the back of his head. "Y-you're not bad yourself."

Stepping forward, she walked her fingers up his chest as she smirked suggestively. "You know, I'm _feline_ purr-tty playful right now."

His eyes widened and his face turned bright red; she laughed at his response. He sat on the edge of her chaise, not looking at her.

She examined the Miraculous ring now donning her finger, frowning slightly. "How do you detransform? Mine was 'spots off.'"

"You say 'claws in,'" he said.

"Plagg, claws in," Marinette called out, holding her hand in front of her.

Nothing happened.

Looking at the ring, she frowned. She thrusted her hand forward again. "Plagg, transform me back!"

Something unfamiliar stirred within her, making her stomach roil. It felt like someone was prying into her mind, picking through it as if looking for something. She swallowed hard. "Something's wrong."

"Uh…" At Chat's uncertain voice, she turned around to see him staring at his suit - which was changing while on him. A black streak appeared along the sides, accenting his frame better than her own suit had on him.

He glanced at her. "Yours is changing, too."

She glanced into the mirror in time to see the collar of the suit detach from the rest, forming a choker as the suit opened in the front, scooping down slightly to expose her collarbone. The tight leather reformed over her elbows and knees, becoming more comfortable and fitting better to her frame. The claws on her hands changed slightly as the pads over the gloves became thinner, allowing her to feel more through it. Her tail became more of a sleek design, flicking around her briefly before settling down and swaying lazily.

Her hair no longer tried to fall into her face; instead, the ears on her head seemed to keep the strands at bay as she shifted, examining her new suit. "Huh," she exclaimed, grinning. "It looks good on me."

"I think we have a bigger issue than that," Chat began in a serious voice. She turned around to see that the changes to his suit were complete; his suit was mainly red with black polka dots except for elbow, knee, back, torso, and neck patches where it was solid black, looking almost like armor.

"Wow," she breathed, unable to keep her gaze from wandering. "That… looks surprisingly good on you, Chat."

He shook his head. "That's not the issue. Tikki, spots off."

Nothing happened.

Frowning, Marinette tried hers again. "Plagg, claws in." When nothing happened to her, either, she exchanged a panicked look with Chat. "I… can't transform back…"

He nodded. "Looks like we need to defeat the akuma quickly." He moved to the trap door to the roof, but he staggered, wincing.

She was by his side in a flash, guiding him back to the chaise. "Just wait here, ki… tty…" she stopped, staring into his eyes. She laughed nervously. "I-I guess you aren't a kitty anymore, are you?"

He shook his head.

"I'll be right back," she stammered, rushing downstairs and suddenly very grateful her parents were not home right now.

As she rummaged in the pantries for something to help his injuries, she mulled over his current appearance. _Why is he reminding me of Adrien?! It must be the eyes._ She almost sighed dreamily at the thought of Adrien's green eyes.

* * *

Adrien breathed a little easier when the girl left the room. She had looked good in the Chat Noir suit before they had left, but now… Now, he worried he might do something stupid.

 _Black looks too good on her_ , he thought as she strutted back in, not even realizing her hips were swaying and her tail was flicking behind her playfully. She walked straight up to him and pressed a cold compress into his chest.

"Does that help?" she asked.

He nodded mutely, unable to tear his eyes away. Suddenly, she leaned towards him, her blue catlike eyes taking up his whole vision again. He leaned back, his face turning red. Her hands on either side of him, she followed him as he leaned back onto the chaise.

Finally, he asked, "Wh-what are you doing?"

She didn't say anything, staying only an inch away from his face as she stared at his eyes in a calculated manner. Suddenly, her whole demeanor shifted. She narrowed her eyes, trailing her finger up his chest.

"Say," she drawled out, "just who _are_ you under that mask, Chat?"

He gulped, his eyes wide. "Er, just… me." _Too close, too close, too close!_

She stood up. "Looks like the truth serum wore off," she muttered, turning away and walking towards the bathroom. "I'm going to figure out how to detransform."

"Wait." His head spun; had she just tried to trick him into revealing his identity? "Why-why did you suddenly ask me that?"

She looked over her shoulder at him, not even realizing how her current stance really, _really_ distracted him. "You look like someone I know," she murmured, a flash of uncertainty crossing her face.

As soon as the bathroom door closed behind her, Adrien released his breath. Only then did he realize the earrings had been beeping out the final seconds of his transformation.

A rushing feeling whooshed through him, and the little red and black kwami streaked out of the earring. Tikki and Adrien stared at one another in stunned silence.

Tikki squealed. "A-A-A-A-Adr - "

Adrien quickly leaped forward and clamped a few fingers over the kwami's mouth, furtively looking around the room for the Chat Noir ears and mask he had gotten for Marinette on their date. He found them and fit them over his face just as the bathroom door opened and Marinette exited with Plagg in her palm.

"Please don't say anything!" he hissed to the tiny kwami.

"Chat, it was 'silence bell'!" she exclaimed excitedly and then froze once she saw her squirming friend in his hands. "What are you doing?"

He let Tikki go. She turned on him, berating him, "You should tell her _right now_!"

He grinned, waving his hands dismissively. "N-now's not the time," he explained, "I-I was kind of hoping for a better situation…"

Tikki huffed and floated over to Marinette. "Plagg," she addressed the other kwami who was now hunkering behind Marinette's loose hair. "We need to talk about our wielders. _Now_."

Tikki grabbed Plagg and dragged him to some corner in the room, hiding from Adrien and Marinette.

Marinette stared at him, a strange expression crossing her face. "Chat?" she queried, stepping forward hesitantly. He could see the doubt on her face as her eyes flicked over the mask, trying to see past it.

"Marinette, please," he said desperately, holding his hands up. "Can't this wait until at least _after_ this battle?"

"Not after the way Tikki reacted," she commented, her voice surprisingly steady. She straightened as if preparing herself for the worst. "Who are you, Chat?"


	19. Behind the Mask

_A/N: I couldn't help it. I was squealing too badly about what happens in a later chapter (as well as over my awesome OC) that I had to take a break and cool off. Might as well remain productive, at least... Enjoy! ~Max_

* * *

Switch: Part Three

He glanced around the room, looking for an escape route. He wasn't ready - he wasn't ready to see her expression when she found out Chat Noir was Adrien. If he could help it, he would never let her know he was Adrien; he liked the way things were now. What if they changed for the worst once she found out? He hadn't even found out yet if she liked him as Chat. "I-if you want me to tell you, then answer my question first," he began, ignoring the frown creasing her brow. "What do you think of me? Of-of Chat Noir?"

Realization dawned a little too fast on her face to his liking. Dread creeped up his spine. _Now I know how she feels about her missing memories from when she was akumatized. We had talked about something that I don't remember._

Marinette took a step towards him, determined and certain. Adrien held his ground as she stopped only inches from him.

"Chat, you really want that answer before you reveal your identity to me, don't you?" she whispered, searching his gaze. The way she said that made it sound as if he had said something similar before he had lost his memories.

His breathing stopped. "Yes," he managed to get out.

Her eyes welled up with tears, glistening in the light from the sun dipping into the horizon of the late afternoon. "I like Adrien," she whispered. "But… I… After I had been shot by the Truth Bullet…"

His heart felt as if it was about to explode.

She wrapped her arms around herself, no longer looking at him as her cheeks turned red. "I like you, too," she blurted. "But I'm already dating Adrien, so… I can't…"

She peeked up at him. He stared down at her, stunned, and then broke into a huge grin. He hugged her tightly, eliciting a squeak out of her. "That's all right, princess," he whispered into her ear, brushing his nose against her neck as he sighed in relief. "And after this battle, I will tell you everything about me. Let's catch this akuma. Tikki, spots on!"

"Eeee!" Tikki zoomed out of her hiding spot, flying into the earrings. It looked almost as if she had been swallowing a cookie.

As soon as he was in the outfit, he beamed at Marinette. "Let's go, partner!"

She blinked at him, confused. "Chat - "

He lifted her hand, kissing the ring gently. "Cat's honor," he murmured, his gaze soft and full of promise.

Stunned speechless, she could only watch as he leaped out of the room onto the roof.

After this battle, he would reveal his identity. He would also tell her what had happened when she was akumatized. He was tired of the secrets between them, and now he knew she loved both sides of him.

He was completely oblivious to the fact that he had made a promise like this to himself before Truth Serum had been defeated.

* * *

"Plagg," Marinette said shakily.

"It's cool, Marinette," Plagg said simply, grinning. "If I know anything about him, it's that he'll keep his word. You're his precious friend, after all."

Marinette shook her head. "He said something similar to me before we had defeated Truth Serum," she whispered, rubbing her arm where goosebumps had risen to the surface.

Plagg shrugged. "It just means he's ready to break that promise to you, then. Just take it easy on him; he's been trying to do the right thing this whole time. Try not to be too angry at him."

She didn't know why Plagg thought she would be angry, but she didn't argue with him. "Plagg, ring bell," she whispered. Within mere seconds, she had on the suit, and the baton appeared in her hands. It reminded her of the glimpse she had gotten of her akumatized time when she had held an infuser in her hand.

Steeling herself, she leaped onto the roof with Chat.

"How do you think we'll be able to find him?" he asked, acting normal.

She peered at him, slightly embarrassed at her confession. "Maybe we should make a plan - "

A scream from the street below stopped her next words. She glanced down, and her new Miraculous's abilities granted her the ability to see through the darkness at the two people running away from a blue-haired man strutting down the street with a wicked grin on his face.

"He's here," she whispered.

"I'm guessing his akuma is in his ring."

"Yup." Her blue feline eyes glowed slightly in the night.

"Let's go, then." He leaped off the building before she could stop him.

She followed him, sighing heavily. "Let's hope this works." She landed on the ground next to him, noting how he was twirling the yo-yo stiffly, as if not completely familiar with it.

The blue-haired man stopped, and Marinette recognized Switch only by his facial features and the ring on his left hand. He raised his eyebrows at them. "My, my," he crooned in surprise. "You two look settled into your new outfits."

A lavender butterfly formed around his face.

* * *

Adrien immediately knew they were in trouble when the telecommunication started between the akumatized victim and Hawk Moth. Tossing the yo-yo upwards, he cried, "Lucky Charm!"

A red and black polka dotted platter fell into his hands. "Just my luck," he muttered.

"Chat! Toss it here!" Ladybug - no, Kitty Noir - cried out, twirling her pole around.

Trusting her completely, he tossed her the platter. She used it like a shield when Switch tried shooting her with his powers, and it bounced back, washing over him. He cried out in shock before collapsing onto his knees, his ring broken and a small butterfly fluttering away.

Fumbling with the yo-yo, he opened it by saying, "Time to de-evillize." He caught the akuma and released a white butterfly, whispering, "Goodbye."

He stared at the Lucky Charm, wondering how he was going to say the release phrase for it. "Miraculous… Gentlebug?" he tested, already feeling stupid. However, the platter vanished in a wave of pinkish-red, flowing over the city as it corrected what Switch had done.

Adrien grinned, running his fingers through his familiar hairstyle. "We're back to - "

As soon as he saw the blonde girl still in the Chat Noir suit, he knew they were still under the effects of Hawkmoth's special akuma.

"Oh, no," he breathed, his stomach dropping. His beeping earring alerted him that time was running short for him.

"We should try to find the other corrupted piece," she said, glancing around almost fervently. "It has to be here somewhere."

Pain lanced through his head. He pressed his palm to his forehead, wincing as his vision temporarily blacked out. "Urgh…"

"Chat? Chat, what's wrong?" Marinette's voice broke through the pain of fog as she lightly touched his arm. Her bluebell cat eyes looking into his, filled with concern. "We're going back right now," she said as soon as she saw his expression.

"No, let's look - "

"No, Chat." She wrapped her arm around him, vaulting them onto the roof. She landed, releasing him.

He took a deep breath, staring at the ground far, far below him. He had never been afraid of heights with the Chat Noir Miraculous, and he knew Ladybug had her own way to move about the city, but he still couldn't shake the feeling that he was missing a vital portion of himself to help him fight. He clenched his fists, looking for the familiar claws that were no longer there.

"Chat? Are you okay?" Marinette asked.

Adrien looked at her. He looked at her blonde hair - the exact shade his had been - and her mask. The cat ears twitched in concern despite being fake as her tail flicked around her lazily.

 _Why… is it there?_ His head spun violently. He placed his palm against his forehead as his vision blurs. _I… I must be seeing things._

Chat Noir stepped towards him. He heard a muffled voice ask him something, but he couldn't make it out past the approaching Chat Noir. Stepping back, he shook his head, not wanting to admit that he had reverted back to being plain old Adrien - the perfect model boy who couldn't step a toe out of line else he would incur the wrath and disapproval of his powerful father.

He couldn't go back to that. Not after having a taste of freedom.

He took another step back. His sense of vertigo increased as he stared up at the sky, wondering why the world was now so tilted. He closed his eyes, unable to take it anymore.

* * *

" _Chat_!" Marinette screamed, lunging forward too late as Chat Noir - still in the Ladybug suit - slipped off the roof.

 _I need to catch him!_ Reaching to her side, her stomach dropped as she realized she no longer had her yo-yo. A sense of despair rose within her as she tumbled after Chat, her hand straining towards his futilely.

She streamlined her body, trying to drop faster than the boy in the red and black suit. Her left hand bumped into the baton clipped to her back, and she had an idea - crazy, dangerous, and having a slim chance of working, but an idea.

She extended the baton, rocketing towards Chat - and the ground.

Wrapping her arms around the boy's shoulders and head, she extended the baton once again, though this time to the side to divert their kinetic energy to the side. She tugged Chat around, keeping her own body between him and the ground as a buffer.

She knew for a fact now that Chat Noir had been able to take the hits he did during combat because of his suit; it was thick and durable, just like actual armor. However, her Ladybug suit had been light and aerodynamic, more like spandex than anything else to allow for full range of movement. It made her think that Chat Noir was supposed to take the damage while Ladybug defeated the enemy.

However, she didn't know how much damage the suit could actually take before it affected her, too.

Despite these lightning-fast calculations, the ground came too soon. A pained yelp tore out of her as her left side and arm scraped into the asphalt, sending them into a wild tumble across the road. She did her best to cradle Chat's head and body against her, knowing the Ladybug suit would not be able to take this type of damage like how the Chat Noir suit probably could.

Despite that, though, the first roll _hurt_.

Dipping her head towards Chat's, she tried her best to reduce the damage as they finally came to a stop. Groaning, she finally managed to breathe as every part of her body screamed in pain. Carefully, she released Chat, pulling back enough to stare into his face.

His eyes were closed, his dark hair nearly blending in with the dark spots on the mask. His breathing came deep and steady despite their tumble down a five-story building and across the empty road.

"Chat?" she whispered, cradling his head gently in her hands. Something warm and wet met her fingers near his shoulder; raising her black-gloved hand, she sniffed it cautiously, nearly retching at the coppery twang.

Blood.

 _No_ , she thought in disbelief. "Chat, wake up," she said, a bit louder this time. She tapped on his shoulder. He didn't move.

 _This isn't real. It can't be real._

"Chat." Marinette's voice was thick. Her vision blurs, and then crystallizes as a tear splashed onto his face. "Chat, open your eyes."

 _No, no, no, no, no…_

Pressing her head against his chest, she heard his heartbeat - slow, yet strong and steady. She swallowed a sob, moving up to his face to kiss him gently. "Don't do this to me, kitty," she whispered, tangling her fingers in his hair. "I… I can't lose you…"

 _Beep, beep, beeeeeeeeep_.

His transformation faded away. She sat there for a good minute, crying into his shoulder, asking him to wake up before Tikki pressed a little hand against her former wielder's shoulder.

"Marinette, you should take him back to your place," she suggested gently.

"B-but what…" she sobbed, her hands clenching in his shirt. "What if he… doesn't wake up?"

"He will," Tikki reassured her, resting on her shoulder. "He was mentally shocked when Plagg had been taken from him. He just needs to rest right now."

Marinette raised her head, looking at Chat Noir. Her breath hitched as she realized belatedly that he no longer had a mask on.

"Adrien?" she whispered, her emotions swirling. Anger and confusion take the forefront, though.

 _I went on a date with Adrien,_ she thought. _But… Chat Noir has spent the most time with me…_

All of what he had ever told her came rushing back. He had always believed his masked self reflected his true personality better than anything else; now she could understand why. Adrien was stifled by his father's controlling hand to the point that he was told how to act and respond to _everything_. The freedom Plagg had offered him was probably his saving grace.

Then there was her.

He knew she liked him as Adrien - the perfect boy. However, now she knew he hated that version of himself. It was no wonder he had kept his identity from her and wanted to know how she felt about _Chat_.

Remorse filled her. How could she be angry at him for concealing his identity? She most certainly would want to know if someone liked her for who she was and not because of her suit. Quite honestly, she still couldn't tell if Chat - _Adrien_ \- liked her because she was Ladybug or if he truly preferred the klutz behind the mask.

If he had revealed he was Chat Noir a week ago, she wouldn't have known which was the true him _or_ which she liked more. However, she had told him only a while ago that she liked both Chat Noir _and_ Adrien Agreste, though Chat was more important to her - his true self was more important.

All of their interactions flashed through her mind, bringing a red flush to her cheeks. She closed her eyes, slowly taking in the knowledge that Adrien and Chat Noir were the same person.

Stroking the side of his face, she touched her forehead against his. "I'm sorry," she whispered. _I'm sorry I pushed you away for so long. I'm sorry I put you through so much pain without even knowing it. I'm sorry I didn't realize it sooner._

 _I'm sorry, Chat. Now please… wake up so I can say it to you directly._

* * *

 _A/N: Only one Adrien was hurt in the making of this episode. Please don't kill me..._


	20. Buried Traits

_A/N: Enjoy the feels. Hehehehe..._

* * *

Switch: Part Four

Adrien opened his eyes, staring blearily up at the ceiling of a familiar pink room. Something felt wrong, but he was momentarily blissfully unaware of whatever that crushing pain had been. Shifting his right arm, he found it trapped underneath a head of blonde hair.

For a moment, he had an out-of-body moment as he stared at the wavy blonde hair stirring. It diminished as Marinette's sleepy bluebell eyes meet his. They widened, and she lunged forward, hugging him tightly.

She sobbed into his shoulder, her voice thick as she choked on her words. "I-I was so scared. You didn't wake up, and…"

"Shh," Adrien hushed her, patting her hair as his head spun. Skin greeted his vision, showing him he wasn't in the Miraculous suit.

He froze.

Marinette pulled back, feeling him tense up all over. "What's wrong? Did I hurt you?"

Adrien stared at her, his eyes wide. He couldn't tear his eyes away from Marinette's blue gaze, feeling as if an abyss had just opened up beneath him.

 _She knows_.

Marinette went into a panic. "D-do you need ice? Are you too cold? Do you want soup?"

"Marinette, stop," Tikki ordered her former wielder. "Give him a moment."

Adrien took in a huge gulp of air, mentally noting to thank Tikki later as he sat up against the back of the chaise. "Marinette, I…"

Marinette smiled at him, touching his face lightly. "You know, you were right. As soon as I saw you without your mask, I couldn't resist." Her smile wobbled. "I'm sorry, kitty."

That last word brought reality crashing on his head. He glanced around the room with wide eyes, unable to focus on anything other than the half of him that got ripped out of him. "Plagg - "

"I'm here, kid." Plagg dropped onto his chest. Adrien took a deep breath, calming down the moment he saw the little cat kwami. "You need to take out the earrings and switch Miraculous with one another. _Now_."

The two teens nodded, taking off the Miraculous. The two kwamis disappeared as they swapped; Marinette put the earrings in as Adrien slipped on his ring.

Nothing happened.

Frowning, Adrien said, "Plagg, claws out." Nothing. Marinette tried her phrase, but it didn't work, either. Baffled, Adrien stared at Marinette.

Unsettled, she handed back her earrings. "Switch with me again."

Reluctantly, Adrien took off his ring, handing it to her. He popped the earrings back on, and Tikki reappeared instantly. Plagg did the same with the ring now on Marinette's hand.

"Oh, no…" Tikki moaned, sinking onto Adrien's stomach. Plagg sat next to her, resting a paw on her shoulder. "The Miraculous have already attuned to you…"

"What does that mean?" Marinette asked. Adrien remained quiet, hoping he was having a nasty nightmare.

"Miraculous can only have one owner at a time," Plagg said simply, leaning against Tikki. "They can't be swapped between people. The fact that Switch had enough power to forcefully severe the link and remake it…" He shook his head.

Adrien swallowed. "Then…"

Plagg glanced at Adrien sympathetically. "Sorry, pal. Marinette is my wielder now."

Adrien's head spun. He clutched it between his hands.

He could distantly hear Tikki berating Plagg as Marinette fretted over him. Suddenly, Tikki was right in front of his face. "Adrien," the little red kwami addressed him, and he focused on her. "What did you like the most about being with Plagg?"

Adrien swallowed. "Freedom," he whispered. "I… I can't go back to before. I _can't_."

Tikki smiled reassuringly at him. "You can still have freedom with me, Adrien," she consoled him. "It may not be the same, but I can help. You just need to be open to me like you were open to Plagg."

He squeezed his eyes shut. "Okay."

A hesitant touch on his arm drew him up. He looked into Marinette's confused eyes, watching a dozen emotions swirl in the bluebell depths. "Adrien…"

"I'm sorry," popped out of his mouth instantly. He looked away, chagrined. "I-I kept it from you. Even though you asked me to, I also kept it from you for personal reasons…"

"I can understand that." He glanced at the rueful smile on her face. "I… would have done the same. Honestly, I'm still unsure which you like more - me, klutzy Marinette, or Ladybug." She took a deep breath. "But that's not important right now. Plagg, Tikki, how can we switch back?"

Tikki pressed her lips together, clamming up. Even Plagg looked unhappy as he reluctantly said, "You… would have to be near death."

The two teens stared at the kwami. Adrien remembered what Plagg had said; Switch had forcefully severed the link between him and the kwami of destruction, reforming the connection with the kwami of creation. To be able to do that without them being near death was truly impressive. _No wonder I felt like I was getting crushed,_ he thought, touching his chest lightly.

"What happened to Adrien, then?" Marinette asked, her hand still on his arm. He felt a jolt of electricity run through him at the sound of his name on her lips. "He had been fine before the fight with Switch…"

Plagg shook his head. "We're paired with people who would benefit from the specific Miraculous. Even though we work together very well, we're still opposites; Tikki is creation while I am destruction." He yawns, flopping onto his side on Adrien's stomach. "Adrien accepted his Miraculous completely, which means he was more connected to me than even you and Tikki."

Tikki smiled sheepishly at Marinette. "You always had so many reservations about being Ladybug. However, that made the switch a bit easier on you."

"Then…" Adrien murmured, finally speaking up. "The reason it hurt so much…"

"It's because you were connected to me," Plagg explained sleepily, closing his eyes. "I'll admit, though, kid… it's better than you dying. _That_ really hurts."

"I felt like I had something of me ripped out…" Adrien mumbled, rubbing his thumb absently against the cat kwami.

"In a way, you did," Tikki said softly, landing on his hand. "We connect with our wielders mentally, and the better we connect with them, the more they can use our abilities. We also help bring out your buried traits, such as courage or confidence. However, the downside is that the more you connect to us, the more it will hurt if you ever lose us before dying; because we are no longer there to help boost those traits, they revert back to how they had been, and you feel as if you had lost a part of yourself."

Adrien stared at the little kwami, silent. _Buried traits_. He had always felt so free and light whenever he had been Chat Noir; able to do anything. For the first time in his life, he felt confident in his own abilities and wasn't shadowed by his father's accomplishments. He could do things with _his_ name and know it was recognized as his deeds and not someone else's.

Plagg had helped him feel more confident in himself.

That was what had been taken away: his confidence in his own abilities. The crushing feeling that he couldn't do anything on his own; that he would always be shadowed by his father's accomplishments and held in that vice-grip that kept him at arm's length from the one man he wanted to impress - never more or less.

"Take deep breaths, Adrien," Tikki said as if she could feel his thoughts spiraling downwards. She probably could, in fact.

"Hey, kid," Plagg suddenly said, getting right in his face. "Snap out of it."

Adrien stared at his former kwami, stunned.

"If you ever had to pair with someone other than me, Tikki is the best option. She'll be able to bring out the best in you and help you realize what a good kid you are." Plagg pressed a paw against Adrien's nose. "You'll do fine. You both know each other's identities, so it's not like you won't see me anymore. Anyway, you get the best camembert cheese I've tasted in centuries."

Adrien smiled at Plagg. Despite his selfish attitude, Plagg really did care about Adrien, and it showed now through the cat kwami's words of encouragement.

"Thanks, Plagg," Adrien said, already feeling better. He finally looked at Marinette, suddenly shy. "So… what now?"

Marinette's face turned beet red. "I-I-I don't know." She avoided looking at him, ducking her head in shame. "I-I thought I was cheating on you when I made out with you, a-and again when you spent the night because of your injuries…"

Adrien stared at her; she was speaking too fast for him to fully comprehend her words. "Wait, wait," he stopped her, stunned. "We made out?"

Plagg snorted. "You two couldn't keep your hands off of one another after the first time."

"Plagg!" Tikki snapped, though the damage had already been done.

Adrien stared at Marinette's red face. "Marinette?" he whispered. She glanced at him sideways, looking thoroughly embarrassed.

He reached out and touched her face lightly. Her cheeks remained bright red, but she didn't pull away; instead, she leaned into his hand. She stared into his eyes, waiting for him to speak.

"I was a bad kisser, wasn't I?" he said, laughing self-consciously. "I've never kissed anyone before you, you know. I haven't even had a girlfr - mmph!"

She pressed her lips against his, effectively shutting him up. His arms wrapped around her, pulling her against him. He ignored the painful twinge in his ribs; this was worth it.

A muffled thump downstairs was what broke them apart. "Marinette? Are you home?" Mrs. Dupain-Cheng's voice called up to the attic, sounding worried.

Marinette stared at Adrien, still extremely close. Suddenly, she darted to her desk, grabbing two textbooks. The stairs leading to her room creaked as she shoved one book - already open - into Adrien's hands and plopped on the ground next to the chaise, opening the other one.

Mrs. Dupain-Cheng peeked into the room. She blinked in surprise when she saw Adrien on the chaise, but she only smiled slightly. "I heard there was another akuma attack while we were out. We came home as soon as we heard of it, but we were caught in traffic…" she trailed off, staring at them.

Marinette shrugged. "Adrien came over a little while ago. We're studying."

 _Each other_ , he finished in his mind, fighting not to look as if he had been caught. "Sorry for the intrusion," he mumbled, fingering a page in the book and wishing it was Marinette's hair instead.

"Marinette, what happened to your _hair_?" Mrs. Dupain-Cheng finally squeaked, her eyes wide. "And Adrien, yours, too!"

Both of their hands fly to their heads. Marinette laughed nervously. "Well, you see…"

"We went on a walk earlier," Adrien admitted, finally blushing. "We ran across some akuma called Switch. He thought it would be funny if he switched our hair color."

"Yeah, that!" Marinette pointed towards Adrien. "We came straight here after that, though."

Mrs. Dupain-Cheng glanced between them, still stunned. "Well, Marinette's hair will be easy to change back, but Adrien's…"

"I'll be fine," Adrien quickly said, giving her his model smile. "I'll just have my beautician treat it. Actually, Marinette," he said as he turned to her, "I could have them dye your hair back, too."

Marinette shook her head quickly. "Nononono, I couldn't ask you t-to do that for me! I-I actually kind of like this color, so… I th-think I'll keep it for now!"

Mrs. Dupain-Cheng smiled in relief. "I'm glad both of you are safe." An odd look crossed her face. "I heard the akuma had been defeated and everyone had gone back to normal. I wonder why both of you didn't go back…"

Adrien shrugged, easily playing it off by saying, "He was going on about being more powerful. Maybe it was a new trick? I'm sure Ladybug and Chat Noir will figure it out, though."

Marinette nodded. "Definitely!"

Mrs. Dupain-Cheng glanced between them one last time before sinking below the trapdoor. "All right. Adrien, you're welcome to eat dinner with us before you head home."

The door shut with a soft _thump_.

Marinette sagged against the chaise. Adrien, unable to resist anymore, ran his fingers through her hair. She leaned into his hand, sighing heavily. "That… was close."

Leaning forward, he pushed aside her hair and kissed her exposed neck. She shivered underneath his touch. "We got through it, though," he murmured, planting more kisses on her jawline and cheek.

"Yeah…" she sighed, turning her head to meet his lips. She giggled, and they broke apart.

"What?" Adrien asked, a little hurt.

"If anyone told me I would be kissing you today, I would have told them they were just trying to tease me and it would never happen." She blushed, glancing at her desk area. "Y-you've known how much I like you…"

He shrugged. "I had suspected it for a while, but I hadn't been sure until the day you had been akumatized."

She chewed on her lip, avoiding his gaze. "Adrien, I…"

He rested his head on her shoulder, taking a deep breath. She smelled of sweets and fruit, almost like a combination of caramel, vanilla, and pomegranate wrapped into one. He couldn't help but take another deep breath.

"A-Adrien?"

"Hmm?"

"W-w-what are y-you doing?"

"Mmmm… you smell good."

"Y-you said that before…"

"When?"

"W-when y-you were sh-shot the sec-second time…"

Her stuttering was getting worse the longer he stayed there, taking in her intoxicating scent. He grinned against her neck, kissing her lightly. "Was that when I kissed you?"

"N-no… I-I-I didn't know you were Chat, so…"

His head shot up. He stared into her red face as realization dawned on him. "You made out with me as _Chat_?"

She nodded mutely.

His head spun, but this time, in a good way. He grinned at her. "You rejected _Adrien_ for _Chat_?"

"D-d-don't s-say i-it like th-that!" she stammered, her neck reddening. He knew he should stop teasing her, but she was so _cute_ when she was worked up like this.

"I'm glad," he whispered, hugging her tightly as he buried his nose into her shoulder. "I was worried you wouldn't like the side of me that I like the most."

She ruffled his hair. "Silly kitty."

* * *

 _A/N: So I know I've had multiple reveals between these two because of the handy-dandy memory problem they keep having. Don't worry; I'm not planning on another reveal. Yet. :P_

 _I have been having way too much fun with my new OC, Zamir. I can't wait to introduce him! In the meantime, I have a fun part coming up next that kind of starts at the end of this episode... hope you're all recovered enough from this twist, because I'm about to throw in a loop on this joyous rollercoaster ride. ;)_


	21. Here, Kitty, Kitty

_A/N: You know that song from Nightmare Before Christmas,_ This is Halloween _? Haha. I can't get it out of my head. Then again, this is the beginning of my Halloween special... well, sort of. Haha._

Adrien nearly skipped back to his house. Supper with the Dupain-Cheng family left an impression on him; it was so different from whenever he had to sit through a meal with his stone-cold father. He had actually felt welcomed and loved, as if he was a part of the family. He had even heard some rather embarrassing - for Marinette, at least - stories of her parents when they were younger and dating.

He wished he had a family like that.

Walking in through the front door, he wondered what it would be like to wake up and know his wife would give him a kiss on his cheek with a smile, telling him she loved him. He wondered what it would be like to spend time with his child, teaching them how to do what he does for work (whatever that might be). He wondered what it would be like to cook alongside his wife, humming a common tune.

The thoughts of a certain happy family warmed him, and he nearly collided with his father in his daydreaming.

"F-Father! I didn't know you were home," he stammered, taking in Gabriel's furious expression. _Oh, no,_ he groaned inwardly, recognizing that look. He quickly hardened himself, preparing for the lecture and punishment for whatever he had done to displease his father. "I can expl - "

"You did not come home last night. For all I knew, you had been _kidnapped_. I had been waiting for a ransom call when your… _friend_ ," he spoke the word with disdain, "had called me, explaining you had to work on a class project together and it had required you to stay over. I see now, though, that more than just a _class project_ had happened."

At this, he glared at the boy's blue-black locks tumbling around his head haphazardly. He reached out, fingering a clump. Adrien held perfectly still, holding his breath. "It is a good thing you didn't _damage_ it. We will see what we can do about it in the morning; because it is so dark, we may have to wait for it to grow out. In the meantime, we could take a few shoots with this color and see how it goes."

His hand dropped from the hair. Adrien took a deep breath, steadying his nerves. He could feel Tikki trembling in his shirt. "I'm sorry I didn't call," Adrien carefully said, "and I'm sorry I didn't come home sooner. There was a second akuma attack - "

"I would have sent a car to pick you up. You would have been safe." Gabriel sighed, exasperated. "Now, we have to deal with your _hair_ because of this foolish rebellious mood you have been in. _This_ is why I did not want you attending public school; I knew this would happen eventually."

He turned away. Adrien stepped forward, feeling as if something was squeezing his lungs; he knew his father was on the verge of banning him from attending school again, and he couldn't let him do that. He couldn't let his father control his every move yet again. Not now. Not after he already lost Plagg.

"If I need to work on another project past the given time, I'll call beforehand and make sure it's okay," he quickly rushed out at his father's back. "I won't dye my hair again; I'll go to whatever shoot you want me to."

Gabriel glanced over his shoulder at his son. His eyes narrowed. "A week."

Adrien's stomach dropped. He tried consoling himself; a week was better than never. "Yes, sir," he whispered, losing the strength to continue arguing. After all, if he pushed the topic too much, his father would revert back to the whole 'never' choice again, and Adrien would never see his friends again.

"Now go to your room." Gabriel Agreste walked away, leaving the teenager in the empty foyer.

Adrien trudged up the stairs mechanically. Something similar had happened only last spring; he had fallen asleep at Nino's place while _actually_ working on a project, and Nino hadn't woken him up. His father had been angry then, too, only he had banned Adrien from attending school or seeing his friends indefinitely. Luckily, after going to all of the shoots and doing what was asked without complaint, his father had allowed him to return to school - _a month later_. He had had to cram to catch up to everyone else.

 _A week. It's only a week this time,_ he chanted to himself, closing and locking his bedroom door behind himself. He sank to the floor, tears springing to his eyes. _Only… a week…_

Tikki zipped out of Adrien's shirt, fluttering around him in concern. "Adrien?" she whispered, placing a little hand on his arm.

He kept his head buried in his arm, letting the tears fall silently. "Don't worry, Tikki. This is normal for me," he said, spitting out the last words. He smiled bitterly. "I'm a bit jealous of Marinette. I wish I had a family like hers."

Speechless, Tikki landed on his arm and watched him with wide eyes. She took in everything he did; how, after a while, he got up and mechanically grabbed clean clothes. How he went to the bathroom and washed his face before sitting down at his computer to check his email - he skimmed Chloe's frantic messages before deleting them without responding - and browse the Ladyblog. How he answered the soft knock at his door with a dry face, accepting the tray of food from Natalie as she whispered some sympathetic phrases to him before hurrying away. How, after he was done eating, he opened his door only enough to slide the tray out onto the floor before shutting and locking the door once again. How he absently flipped through his games, pulling out the one he and Marinette had played for the gaming tournament and turning it on. How he stared glassy-eyed at the screen as he defeated opponent after opponent.

After the eleventh win, Adrien blinked and focused on the little kwami now floating between him and the screen. "Adrien," Tikki said firmly but gently, "we need to get out of here."

Adrien was confused. "But I can't. My father - "

Tikki shook her head. "Not as Adrien."

His breath whooshed in sharply. Memories of leaping, bounding, sprinting, and flipping over the rooftops of Paris flashed through his mind; Ladybug - Marinette - never knew he had donned his suit for something other than patrol or fighting. He transformed just to get out of his prison.

Because that's what this was.

Staring at Tikki, Adrien realized the little kwami had seen it, too. She had seen how, despite him having everything, he was so limited on what he could and could not do. She had seen how his minute actions were monitored and controlled. She had seen how his life was shadowed by his father's domineering, controlling figure.

She had seen why he had donned the suit to begin with.

"Let's go!" Tikki chirped, giving him a big smile. "We can drop by Marinette's place for cookies!"

"Plagg is probably whining for cheese, too," he said, a twinge of sadness shooting through his chest. However, he was smiling.

"You spoiled him too much." Tikki wrinkled her nose. "Camembert cheese? Really? So disgusting. Marinette's chocolate chip cookies are the best."

"I'd like to try one, then." Adrien got up, his smile easier this time. He quickly made a call for some camembert cheese - not unusual, considering he had been ordering it since junior high school. Smiling slightly, he reminisced on the first time he had encountered the ravenous Plagg.

Before he could transform, Tikki stopped him. "Your phrase to activate and deactivate this Miraculous is 'spots on' and 'spots gone'; only a little different from Marinette's."

"Thanks, Tikki." He smiled at her. "Let's go see Marinette, then. Tikki, spots on!"

The transformation felt different than Plagg's. Once he was in the suit, he took a deep breath, feeling as if he could control his emotions better. _No… that's not it_ , he thought, examining himself in his bathroom mirror for a moment. _I…_ feel _better. As if there are positives in all of this._

Which there were. By not having to go to school, he would have more time to swing around Paris, free of responsibilities. Also, at least Tikki ate something he could stomach. Plagg was with the one person he wanted to be with, so it was no far stretch to hang out with one or the other. Plus, he got to learn new tricks with this new Miraculous.

He twisted in front of the mirror, examining the big black spots on his suit - much bigger than Ladybug's. The black collar dipped down farther on him, and black bands chased down his sides all the way to his ankles. The suit seemed to be thicker where his elbows and knees were, forming black pads to protect him.

He grinned, staring at his tamed blue-black hair in the mirror. The mask was black with small red spots along the bridge of his nose and around the corners of his eyes; very different from Ladybug's. Even the yo-yo was different; it was a little bigger and was solid black with five red spots on it. The string was red.

Opening his bathroom window, he swung his legs out, taking a huge gulp of fresh air. He already felt better as he took in the late evening view of Paris. Dark rain clouds covered the sky, looking as though they would open up any moment now. Plucking the yo-yo off his waist, he gave it an experimental whirl before launching it at one of the support beams of his mansion-like house. It caught and held.

He gave it a few experimental yanks, testing the give before allowing himself to tumble from the window sill. The yo-yo's string retracted as he tumbled towards the ground, swinging him forward. He landed on the roof, staggering slightly as he regained his balance.

Elation filled him. Sure, this wasn't like when he was a cat and leaping across the rooftops, but it was just as exhilarating - if not more.

Swinging to the next roof, he managed to land without staggering for several feet. He sprinted across the flat ground, swinging his yo-yo ahead of him and jumping off blind.

"Wahooooo!" he yelled, unable to contain the adrenaline rush coursing through him.

He felt like he was _flying_.

For the next thirty minutes, his feet never touched the ground.

* * *

Adrien landed in the alley, gasping for breath. "Phew," he said aloud, still grinning as he leaned against the wall. Unlike the main street, the alley was very dark; if he had had night vision, he would have been able to see, but the Lady - no, _Gentle_ bug suit didn't have that capability.

"Mrow."

Glancing down, he saw a little tabby staring up at him with brown eyes. A weird shiver went through him as he stared into the cat's eyes that seemed to be asking him something. "Mroooooow."

Crouching in front of the cat, Adrien reached out cautiously. The cat stared at him, not moving. It didn't even glance at the hand offering a pat.

"Hey, kitty," he cajoled, wiggling his fingers like he sometimes did at Plagg when he wanted a scritch. "Come here."

At this, the cat stepped forward, mewling again - though this one sounded more urgent. Suddenly, it's ears went back and it hunkered down, glancing over its shoulder. It hissed into the shadows, slinking around him to hide behind his leg.

"Tobi," someone sing-songed, sounding like a young girl. Adrien strained his eyes, wishing he still had his night vision. "Tobi, did you find a new friend?"

The cat yowled loudly, hissing and spitting at the shadows. Adrien froze when its paw wrapped around his leg, tugging. However, he felt no claws digging into his suit; it was almost as if the cat was trying to pull him away.

"Tobi, let's go home," the voice said, and the cat's ears flattened against its head.

"H-hey," Adrien started hesitantly, disconcerted by not being able to see the speaker. "This is your cat, right? It seems pretty scared…"

"Why, that's because he ran away." A little girl in a white and pink dress stepped out of the darkness. Cat paw patterns covered the dress, and her curly blonde hair formed two cat ears. Her light blue eyes were very dilated. In her hand, she held a collar. "Do you mind giving him back, please?"

Alarm bells went off in his head as he took in the girl. The way she held onto that collar was… odd. Almost as if it was the most precious thing to her in existence.

He took a step back, accidentally stepping on the Tobi's tail. He yowled in pain.

The girl's expression sharpened. Her lip curled up in fury as her sky-blue eyes turned into two slits - just like a cat's. "You hurt Tobi," she snarled, holding the collar to her chest.

"I-I'm sorry," Adrien stammered, glancing behind him. However, the cat was gone, having escaped as soon as the girl's attention was off of him. "He was behind me and…"

"There's no excuse!" she yowled, lunging forward. "You hurt my kitty! I'll make _you_ feel what it's like!"

He bumped against the wall, jarring his still-aching body. The earlier flight through the sky had worn him out, slowing him down significantly - putting him at a disadvantage with the surprisingly fast and nimble girl.

She ducked underneath his arms and reached up, wrapping the collar around his throat. He felt like he was being constricted. He stared at the growing girl, his eyes widening as she became significantly bigger than him. She grinned at him, bending over and picking him up.

"Ooooh, black kitty! So pretty. Let's go home, then." Humming to herself, she carried him down the now large alleyway.

" _No! Put me down!_ " Adrien yelled, but it came out as yowling. He stopped, licking his lips only to find sharp, pointed teeth. Glancing down at himself, he saw two black paws and legs covered in silky black fur. A strangled mewl came from him.

"Aww, is the poor kitty shocked? It's okay. You'll feel better after a good brush and some milk."

 _No. Way._ A hiss escaped from his lips, and he could feel his ears pressed flat against his head. Tensing, he lunged out of her grip with his claws extended - at least he knew how to do that from his time being Chat Noir.

She yelped in pain and surprise, dropping him. He staggered, not used to having four legs, but quickly skittering away.

Everything looked huge. He barely recognized streets as he sprinted down them blindly, not stopping. He couldn't stop - not when that crazy girl wanted to take him home. A few rain drops struck the ground as it began to rain.

A broken mirror caught his eye. It was leaning against a trash bin, a huge crack running down the middle. A black cat with bright green eyes and a black collar stared back, looking panicked as it got soaked in the rain. Two red stones with black spots were attached to the black collar around its neck.

He slowly approached the mirror; the black cat mirrored his movements, slinking forward almost stealthily. The ears went back as he panicked a bit; he had known he had been turned into a cat, but to _see_ it…

He began to hyperventilate. The reflected cat breathed shallowly, backing away as he turned and sprinted down the streets, not even knowing where he could go.

Bluebell eyes filled his mind.

* * *

 _A/N: Hope you like cats. ;)_

 _Lots of thanks to my friend and beta reader for my original fantasy-sci-fi story! Adele is a blessing to my heart. I love talking to her. One day, she just randomly said, "What if Adrien was a cat?!"_


	22. One Rainy Night

_A/N: I'm enjoying my new work schedule, although it will take some adjusting to. I'm nearing the publication of my novel, though I think I'll be able to keep up regular posts for Forgotten Memories._

 _Also, thank you so much for all the awesome reviews! Most appreciative to anyone who took the time to write anything to me. 3 Thank you for all the follows, too!_

 _Enjoy the beginning of chaos... *clears throat* erm, I mean, one of my most favorite episodes that I enjoyed writing. This is also sorta/kinda a Halloween special... though I didn't create it just for Halloween. I merely made it line up with Halloween timeframe... hehe. Sly me._

* * *

Episode Five: One Rainy Night

Part One

Marinette hummed while working on her homework, too happy to feel depressed about being slightly behind. Adrien had left over an hour ago, but she could still feel his lingering kiss on her lips from when she had said goodbye to him at her front door.

"Marinette! Can you come down here for a moment?" her mother called up.

"Coming!" she yelled back, startling a napping Plagg awake. "Sorry, Plagg."

"No worries," he slurred, rolling over on the little pillow Tikki used to use. "Mmmm, cheese…"

She chuckled, leaving the kwami undisturbed as she climbed down the stairs. Sabine Cheng was washing dishes as Tom Dupain dried them and put them away.

"Could you take out the trash, sweetie?" Sabine asked, handing her husband a plate.

"Sure." Marinette pulled the trash out of the bin, tying it off quickly and lugging it down the stairs to the house's back entrance. Opening the door, she saw it was raining. "Oh, great…"

Darting out with the trash bag, she quickly threw it into the bin and turned back to the house.

"Mrow!"

Glancing around, she saw a black cat crouched under a fallen cardboard box, soaking wet underneath the partial shelter. Her hand flew to her mouth, suddenly feeling bad for the little animal. She crouched down, holding out her hand as she cajoled, "Come here, kitty…"

It stepped forward slowly at first, but it was soon running towards her. It completely bypassed her hand and took shelter underneath her, mewling desperately.

Cautiously, she picked up the feline, feeling it tense up underneath her hands. Cradling it against her chest, she quickly went inside; she was already shivering from the air conditioning. "Ohhh, you poor thing," she crooned, hurrying up the stairs. "Mom!"

"What is it, Marinette?" Sabine asked, turning around. Her eyes widened at the sight of the soaked cat. "Oh, no! Was it caught in the rain?"

"I think so," Marinette said, taking the clean hand towel her father offered her. She wrapped the cat in it, noticing it was shivering, as well. She looked at the black collar, but didn't see any tags or other distinguishing features other than the two black-spotted red gems on it. "Would you mind if I kept it here until the rain lets up? I don't want it getting sick…"

"Of course, sweetie," Sabine crooned, pulling some milk out of the fridge and pouring some into a saucer.

Tom scratched the top of the cat's head with one finger. Its ears go back slightly as if intimidated by the big man - no surprise there. He rumbled a laugh. "Mind if I see it for a moment?"

Marinette handed the cat to her father, noting how it clung to her momentarily as if scared to be handled by the big man. He flipped it over, checking its underside as it meowed in defiance. "Hmm. Male. I wonder if it would spray the house…"

"Papa," Marinette chastised her father, taking the cat back. It scrambled onto her shoulder, burying under her hair and wrapping around the back of her neck to peek out from the other side.

Tom rumbled a laugh, amused at the cat's new perch. "Looks like you have a new friend, Marinette. I'll get some litter and food until you find the owner."

"Thank you, Dad!" she said, excited. She would be bouncing right now, but she didn't want to jar her new companion's perch; he seemed comfortable.

"In the meantime, here's some milk." Sabine handed over the saucer, smiling sweetly. "Go up and dry him off; he's probably freezing."

"Thank you!" Marinette rushed up the stairs as fast as she could while carrying a cat on her shoulders and a saucer of milk in her hands. As soon as she pushed the trap door, though, the cat bolted into the room. "Hey, kitty! Come back!"

She hurried into the room, shutting the door just as she heard Plagg screech, "Get off me, you big oaf! I'm not a toy! Go! Shoo! Gyah…"

The black cat had Plagg pinned on the cushion, nuzzling his head against the kwami as he complained loudly about the attention. "Plagg, quiet!" Marinette hushed the kwami, setting the warmed milk down on the table. "My parents are downstairs!"

"Then get this sopping wet cat off of me!" Plagg howled, struggling to free himself from the cat's paw.

Marinette sighed, picking up the cat. He mewled at Marinette, staring at her as if he thought he would get kicked out. "Awww," Marinette breathed, cradling the cat against her chest. "It's okay. Let's just get you dry."

She took the cat into her bathroom, pulling down a towel and cocooning the cat in part of it while rubbing it down with the rest. It let out a few cut-off mewls - almost like chirps - as she dried it the best she could. By the time she was done, the cat looked slightly dazed before shaking himself and looking right at her as he meowed. Marinette stared into the bright green eyes, shocked.

They were Chat Noir's eyes.

She laughed self-consciously. "So silly; I thought you were Chat Noir for a moment…"

The cat yowled, placing a paw on her knee as he continued to stare at her unnervingly.

Plagg floated in, keeping a safe distance from the cat. "Hey, you're not planning on keeping that thing, right?"

"Why wouldn't I?" Marinette asked, picking up the mostly dry feline and carrying it into her room. She piled some warm blankets together, cocooning him in them. "He got caught out in the rain. I couldn't just leave him."

"I think you should have…" Plagg floated a little closer. The cat mewled at him, but didn't make a lunge for him this time. Plagg's eyes widened as Marinette dug in her drawers for some dry clothes. "No way…"

"Did you say something, Plagg?" Marinette asked, pulling her shirt over her head and tossing it into the hamper.

The cat ducked his head underneath his paw, trembling slightly.

Plagg fought back his snigger, knowing exactly what was up with the cat. More specifically, he knew _who_ this cat was. "Nothing major." Floating back to his bed, he closed his eyes. "Hey, Marinette, do you have any cheese?"

"You ate thirty minutes ago," she chastised him lightly, finished changing. She sat on the edge of the chaise, scratching the cat behind the ear. "Are you warming up, kitty?"

"Are you just going to keep calling it that?" Plagg asked, some of his sniggering slipping by.

Marinette glanced at the kwami. "He probably already has a name. He seems to be responding well to it, anyway."

"I'm sure he'd respond to Adrien," Plagg muttered.

"What did you say?" Marinette asked, not hearing the kwami.

"Nothing."

* * *

Adrien wanted to _slap_ Plagg. The little cat-kwami _knew_ it was him, but had chosen not to tell Marinette!

He still couldn't look at the girl curled up on the chaise with him, doodling in her sketchbook. She had changed _right in front of him_. Sure, she didn't know (and he didn't look), but _still_. He felt like he had just deceived her, though he knew there wasn't really any way he could tell her.

Or was there?

Climbing out of the warm cocoon of blankets, he leaned over the edge of the chaise, gathering the courage to jump.

"Kitty?" Marinette queried, watching him.

His heart beat wildly at that nickname - the same nickname she had sometimes called him when he had been Chat Noir. He hadn't liked it back then, but now…

Before she could scoop him up, he jumped to the ground. He walked stiffly to the desk, pausing at the chair to jump onto it, and once again until he was on her desk.

Plagg watched him, his face unreadable. Marinette sat on the edge of the chaise, ready to lunge forward if Plagg was attacked again.

Adrien turned away from the kwami, batting sketches and homework away until he found one of two objects he was looking for: the Chat Noir mask he had gotten her. He tried dragging it with his paw, but he only succeeded in batting at it.

"Oh, Chaton, do you want to play?" Marinette asked, getting up and moving towards him.

Panicked he wouldn't get it in time, he clamped his mouth over the mask in desperation just as Marinette picked him up. He didn't let it go even when he was in such close proximity to her.

"Come on, kitty. Let that go." She tugged on the mask gently with one hand, the other supporting him. "You can't play with it."

 _No, listen to me,_ he said around the mask, but it came out as a meow-growl.

Plagg floated up from his little bed. "Marinette, let him go. It looks like he's trying to show you something."

Marinette let him go, looking quizzical. Adrien watched her for a moment before putting the mask down in front of her. He nuzzled the mask towards her.

She glanced between the mask and him, still puzzled. Huffing, Adrien quickly found the ears and pulled them out, as well, setting them with the mask. He sat back, proud of his handiwork.

 _She will get it_ , he thought, trying to reassure himself. _She's smart._

* * *

Marinette frowned, glancing back and forth between the cat and the Chat Noir costume set. Those green eyes pierced into her, more intelligent than any normal cat as she tried to figure out what the odd kitty was trying to 'tell her,' as Plagg had said.

"You… know Chat?" she asked rhetorically, rubbing her chin. "No…"

The cat dipped his head down, peeking at her from one of the eye holes of the mask. He meowed loudly, as if trying to tell her something.

Marinette frowned, rubbing her temple. She couldn't get over his eyes. "You have Chat's eyes…" she murmured out loud.

The cat nodded.

She froze, her mouth falling open as she stared at the simple yet crazy motion. "You… understand me?" she breathed, and the cat nodded, this time more rigorously. He stood up, meowing at her. It sounded urgent.

 _Knock, knock._ "Marinette, I'm back," her father called through the door, pushing it open.

Marinette glanced between her door and the cat before hurrying over and helping him put the cat-related items in her room. While they set up the food and water bowls, she casually glanced over to the cat to see him sitting behind the mask, watching her unblinkingly.

It unnerved her.

Something was definitely wrong with the cat; there was no question about it. As soon as her father left…

"Aww, he seems to have taken a liking to your desk, Marinette!" Tom gushed, smiling as he approached the feline. "Here you go, kitty. I brought you a special treat."

His tail twitched as he blinked a few times at Tom, mewling softly as the big man approached. He looked as if he was about to bolt, but held his ground as the big man reached out, offering the cat a mouse toy.

Marinette watched, curious, as the cat sniffed the toy and promptly sneezed. He narrowed his eyes at the toy, backing away as his eyes dilated. With a start, Marinette realized what it was.

"Catnip toy?" she asked, walking over and stopping next to her father.

Tom nodded, watching the cat curiously. "I thought he would like it…"

Marinette giggled. "You _are_ a lot bigger than him, Papa. He might be scared you'll squish him." She saw the cat lift his head as if about to nod like he had earlier before he stopped, holding still.

Tom shrugged, not seeing anything odd about the cat's behavior as he handed Marinette the catnip toy. "Well, here you go, sweetie. If he gives you any trouble, just let us know; I'll ask some local customers and neighbors tomorrow if they're missing a cat."

"Thanks, Papa." Marinette closed the attic door behind him. Turning back to the cat, she waved the toy at him. "Don't want it?"

He shook his head quickly.

"Odd," she breathed, sniffing the toy. It had been stuffed with dried catnip via a Velcroed patch at the bottom of the toy. Walking back over to the cat, she cautiously sat down at her desk, getting on eye-level.

The cat stood up, moving to sit in front of her. He lifted his paw, reaching for her face, and she drew back quickly, staring at it. The claws were retracted. Looking back at him, she saw his eyes wide and his mouth slightly open, almost as if… as if he was _gaping_ at her.

Fiddling with the catnip toy between her fingers, she hesitated before asking, "Is… is Chat in danger?" she asked.

The feline shook his head, glancing at the mask before looking back at her.

"Okay… Do you know where Chat is?" He nodded. "Do you know his true identity?" He nodded again. "Is he in his Chat Noir form right now?" A trick question.

He began to nod but paused, shaking his head instead. He glanced around as if looking for something else. Hopping off the desk after some hesitation, he walked up to her spare cloth drawer and pawed at it. He turned towards her and mewled.

Her heart melted at that pitiful sound. He sounded so adorable.

She knelt behind him, pulling open the drawer. He propped his paws onto the edge of the drawer, peering in. Sticking one paw in, he dragged it across the light blue cloth on top as if to push it away, but without his claws extended, it didn't move.

Frowning, Marinette moved it for him. Underneath that, there was a red square of cloth; he batted that one eagerly. She pulled it out, and he did that weird cut-off meow that couldn't be described as anything other than chirping. He had her dig through a few more layers before she ran across a black before he batted at it wildly.

She stared at the two colors, a chill running down her spine. The colors the cat had her pull out were the color scheme for the Ladybug Miraculous. "He's Gentlebug right now?" she whispered.

He remained still for a long time. She had never seen a cat look so… confused or uncertain. His eyes flitted around the room as if looking for something else to use.

Suddenly, he reached forward and carefully grabbed the two clothes from her with his teeth, tossing them over his back until both rested haphazardly over him. He turned to Marinette and meowed loudly, looking proud of himself.

Marinette frowned, more confused than ever. _He isn't in his Chat Noir form, and by the cat's reaction, it doesn't seem like he's quite in his Gentlebug form, either…_ "Is he in his civilian form?"

This earned a firm shake of his head.

Marinette huffed. "Did an akuma get to him?" she asked almost rhetorically, knowing it was too soon for an akuma to show up again. After all, it was so soon since the last one.

However, he nodded, mewling as he stepped towards her. The cloth slipped off his back as he propped his front paws onto her leg.

The stones on the collar glittered at her. She frowned, reaching forward and automatically scratching underneath his chin to subtly lift his head so she could examine his collar more closely. Those stones seemed familiar…

The cat began purring almost instantly, leaning heavily into Marinette's hand as his eyes shut nearly all the way. She smiled, suddenly relieved that he was acting more like a cat.

With no warning, his eyes popped open wide and he jumped backwards, away from her. He stared at her hand as if it had stabbed him.

"What is it, kitty?" she asked, worried she had hurt him. Suddenly, she remembered she had been fiddling with the catnip toy in her hands earlier; sniffing her fingers, she could smell the catnip on it. She chuckled. "It's okay, kitty. It's just me. Come here…"

He slinked forward, skittering backwards anytime she reached towards him. "You really don't like catnip," she commented softly, and he shook his head jerkily.


	23. Kitty Kisses

_A/N: Only eleven more days until my book is published! I'll try to keep updating regularly. In the meantime, enjoy the kitty fluff..._

* * *

One Rainy Night: Part Two

Adrien stared at her hand, fighting the urge to rub against it. The catnip permeated her skin, mingling with her intoxicating pomegranate and caramel scent that he loved so much. Not only that, but she had hit a spot on his chin that he hadn't even known had itched…

Shaking his head one more time, he walked over to the chair, preparing to launch himself onto it.

He missed.

 _I think the catnip is already affecting me_ , he thought, shaking his head as he regained his legs. Hands wrapped around him, lifting him off the ground, and the smell of catnip was suddenly stronger.

Marinette carried him to the chaise. "Poor kitty," she mumbled, sitting down with him on her lap. "You must not be used to catnip, then."

Before he could leap out of her lap - what would she do if she found out it was _him_ and not just some random black cat? - she began scratching his ears.

That deep rumble instantly started up again in his chest, startling him at the _loudness_ of the purr. He stopped, staring at her with wide eyes as his ears went back some. The smell of the catnip infused the air, intoxicating and irresistible as she scratched his ears.

She moved to the side of his face.

His eyes half-shut on their own, blinking slowly up at her. He saw a small smile of accomplishment light up her face. _It's worth it_ , he thought, his paws unconsciously kneading her leg in pleasure. The deep purr started up again, louder than before.

"Oh, kitty," she breathed, still smiling sweetly at him. It was the sweetest smile she had ever given him. "Do you not get enough attention at home?"

 _No_ , he mewled at her, and the sound blended with his purr. She sank into the chaise, and he climbed up to her stomach, stretching across her as her hands went down to his back, scratching and petting. He couldn't believe how _good_ it felt.

He nestled his head between his paws, purring loudly as he felt and heard her heartbeat beneath him. She chuckled, moving one of her hands back to his face and ears.

 _This… this must be why Plagg always loved it whenever I pet him_ , he thought absently, nuzzling her hand to increase the pressure on his cheek. Both of her hands massaged his head, scratching his ears and rubbing underneath his chin all at once.

It felt so _good_.

The taste of catnip and vanilla invaded his senses. With a start, he realized he had licked her hand. He leapt off her, his ears flat against his head as he stared at her with wide eyes. _What was I_ doing _?_ He shook his head, breathing heavily. _I'm_ not _a cat. I'm Adrien, a_ human _!_

Marinette curled up on her side, facing him. She stared at him, puzzled. "Kitty?"

 _Quit calling me that_ , he whined, but it came out as a pathetic mewl. Her fingers were scratching his ear before he could pull away, and he leaned into her hand, purring again. He looked at her, blinking slowly.

* * *

Marinette was secretly cheering. She had gotten the cat to act more like a normal feline; the petting and scratching seemed to be helping relax him. She smiled slightly, raising her other hand to scratch his other ear.

He blinked at her slowly as her other hand came up and scratched underneath his collar. She felt something weird on the back of the collar where the stones were. Leaning closer, she examined the stones a little more closely.

Stunned, she stared at the earrings that seemed to be welded into the collar, unmoveable. What he had been trying to tell her about Chat - about Adrien - earlier rushed through her mind all at once.

He wasn't in his Chat Noir or Gentlebug Miraculous, nor was he in his civilian form. He wasn't in danger, but something was wrong with him. When she had asked if he was in his Gentlebug form, the feline had tossed the cloth over himself…

 _The cat was Gentlebug._

"Adrien?" she whispered, her fingers falling still. The cat's eyes opened fully, those familiar eyes staring at her. "Is that you?"

His ears swiveled forward. He meowed loudly, standing up and stepping towards her in excitement. His tail flicked around, reflecting his change in emotion.

Marinette's head spun. "What… happened?"

A grumble came from the cat as his ears went back. He visibly shivered as if in disgust at something.

She remembered one of his answers earlier, and decided to try to expand on it. "Did an akuma do this to you?"

He nodded quickly.

She chewed her lip, trying to think of what else she had asked him. Suddenly, she remembered that she had _changed_ in front of him. Her face turned bright red. "D-d-did you - "

He immediately started shaking his head very quickly.

She took a deep breath, reforming the sentence. She needed to make sure. "You didn't… peek earlier, did you?"

Again, he shook his head fervently, meowing firmly. It sounded oddly like he was shouting at her, " _No_!"

Still blushing, she stammered, "S-so, if you're Adrien and an akuma had done this, w-why did you come back here?" At his disgruntled expression, she realized her mistake. "Oops, sorry. Um… couldn't you go home, instead?"

The cat - no, _Chat_ \- looked away from her, shaking his head ever so slightly.

"Was your father angry at you?" she whispered. He nodded, squeezing his eyes shut. "Oh, Chat…"

Chat sat down on the chaise again, hanging his head and batting at a random string on the cushion. She couldn't help but reach over and scratch underneath his chin, eliciting another purr. "You're really adorable when you do that," she told him, grinning as she looked at his collar.

A mewl escaped him as he purred, blending the two sounds together in the cutest sound she had ever heard. Unable to resist, she picked him up and held him close, startling him. However, his eyes slit halfway closed again as she examined his collar up-close while petting him.

Sure enough, the gems were a warped version of the Ladybug Miraculous attached to the collar. She tried pulling them out, but it didn't work. Frowning, she unlatched his collar, pulling it off to take a closer look.

She tumbled backwards, a full-sized Adrien on her lap and nuzzling her hand. He was still purring. His Gentlebug Miraculous looked warped; it looked almost like a cross between a cat and the Ladybug suit, as if he was still partially transformed into a feline. He was still purring, the impossible sound emerging from his chest.

"Ch-Chat - " she stammered, her fingers digging into his hair as he nuzzled her chin, completely out of it.

"Mmmmm," he moaned, the sound blending with the purr. He licked her neck, kissing it just as gently.

"Ah…" She couldn't move. He had pinned her down completely. "A-Adrien, y-you - you need to… to stop…"

He froze. She felt his hands flex over her arms, the movement traveling all over his body as if he was testing every single one of his muscles individually. He slowly pulled back, his eyes finally focusing on her.

His mask was the black cloth with red dots on it, but his hair formed two ear-shaped lumps on his head. His eyes were pure green and slitted like a cat's, just like when he had been Chat Noir. His suit, looking the same as Gentlebug's with the dark armor pieces, looked as if patches of it had grown even thicker armor over it much like his old Chat Noir suit - only when she touched it, it felt like short fur covering it.

"Marrrinette," he purred, looking at the collar in her hand. He leaned back, releasing her arms. "I'm sorry…" His voice sounded odd, almost slurred as he tried to stop his purring.

She covered her mouth, trying to keep from giggling at his sleepy expression. Key word: tried. "What happened, Chat?"

He blinked his eyes slowly, watching her with those dilated green cat-eyes of his. His lips parted as he exhaled slowly. "You stopped petting me…"

Startled by his dazed look, she glanced at her hands. Sniffing them, she could still smell the catnip on them. _Was he affected by the catnip?_ she wondered. Experimentally, she reached for his face.

He leaned his cheek against her fingers, his nose pressing into her palm. He took a deep breath as she rubbed circular motions against his skin, moving her fingers behind his ear. She gently scratched, fascinated as he purred even louder than before.

Suddenly, his Miraculous emitted a long beep. Tikki tumbled out, exhausted, as Adrien's clothes reverted to something more casual - although, wherever the weird armor had been on the suit, it was in the same places on his civilian clothes.

"Marinette," Tikki gasped, weakly patting Marinette's stomach. "You need to snap him out of it."

Marinette's hand froze. Adrien butted it with his nose; when she didn't continue petting him, he nuzzled her arm, working his way up to her shoulder. "Wh-what do you mean, Tikki?"

"If he keeps acting like this, I won't be able to transform with him!" she wheezed, exhausted. "You can't let that armor completely cover him!"

Marinette glanced at the short, fur-covered pieces somehow attached to him. Sure enough, they were slowly growing bigger.

Adrien pushed his way underneath her arm. He kissed her collarbone as he kneaded her shirt with his hands. She gasped, blushing as he nipped her collarbone with his teeth.

"A-Adrien, stop," she breathed. "Stop!"

"Slap him," Plagg suddenly suggested, floating a little ways away with a cookie in his hand. He flew over, helping Tikki up and guiding her to the table where she munched on the cookie tiredly. "That might jar him awake enough."

Marinette closed her eyes. She didn't want to, but… "Sorry," she muttered, pushing him back enough so there would be an impact. Her palm hit his cheek in a solid slap.

Adrien reeled back, blinking rapidly. Suddenly, the strange fur-patterned armor dissipated off of him in a puff of black smoke, although his hair still remained in that cat-like style and his eyes were still slitted. He groaned, rubbing his face where she had slapped him as he sat back.

Marinette propped herself up the best she could underneath him. "I'm sorry, I had to - "

"Agh… I'm sorry, Marinette," he slurred, looking exhausted. He stared at her sleepily. "I… I'm so… sorry…"

He tilted forward.

She froze underneath him as his head rested against her collarbone again. His slow, deep breaths were the only thing signifying that he had passed out completely.

"Oh, kitty," she murmured, stroking his hair. She smiled ruefully. "You really need to stop crashing here…"

"I won't take him back home," Tikki said firmly, having regained some of her energy.

Marinette stared at her friend, startled with how stern the usually kind kwami looked. "What happened, Tikki?"

"His father banned him from going to school for a _week_!" Tikki exclaimed, furious. "Not only that, but he was being treated like a prisoner in his own home! You know when he had been gone for a month from school? I bet you the same thing had happened then, too."

"Then all the more reason he should go back," Marinette said firmly, wriggling her way out from underneath Adrien to slip into her closet and grab a change of clothes and an overnight bag. She didn't know why Tikki was acting so irrational right now; normally, the little kwami was a voice of reason.

"What are you doing, Marinette?" Tikki asked, curious.

"Adrien can't transform right now, so I'll take him back myself." She glanced at her windows, wondering if she should leave one of them open so she could slip back through once she gave her excuse of finding the "owner" of the cat. But she wouldn't be carrying the cat…

"Put the collar back on him," Tikki said, catching onto her thoughts. "It will turn him back into a cat. As long as you don't leave it on him, he should be fine with wearing it again for a little while."

Marinette glanced at the collar in her hand. It was a simple black leather strap, undamaged where the earrings used to be; right now, they were on Adrien's ears in a clasp-style since he didn't have punctured ears. Taking a deep breath, she put the collar back on him.

His form shrank and grew hair. Within seconds, a black cat was curled up on her chaise, sleeping soundly. She picked him up and cradled him.

"Come on, Plagg, Tikki," she encouraged. Both of the kwamis zipped into her bag. Heading down the stairs, she saw her father was still up. "Hey, Papa."

He glanced up, surprised. "Marinette! Where are you going at this hour?"

Marinette sheepishly rubbed the back of her head. "Well, I sent Alya a text with a picture of the cat, and she said it was her neighbor's cat and they were freaking out. Do you mind if I take the cat back and stayed at Alya's place for the night? I promise to go straight to bed, and I'll text you in the morning before I head into school with Alya."

Tom stared at her as if trying to see if she was lying. He shrugged, sparing one last look at the sleeping cat. "Send a text when you get there, too. There's been a few disappearances in the area."

"Okay!" Marinette darted out of the house, sighing in relief as she reached the corner where no one would see her. Luckily, it was barely drizzling outside right now. Putting cat-Adrien down momentarily, she called out softly, "Plagg, ring bell."

Within seconds, she was in her Kitty Noir suit. Picking up Adrien and the bag, she launched herself onto the roof, heading for Adrien's house. Hopefully, no one had realized yet that their imprisoned prince had escaped…

* * *

 _A/N: I guess this is a good place to ask. Would anyone be interested in reading the first chapter or two of my book, Danarko, on Fictionpress? I just recently found out about it. PM me with your opinion. If I get enough people asking about it, I'll post the first few chapters on it before my book is published!_


	24. Hello, Paris

_A/N: Oh, my gosh! Thank you for all of the reviews, guys! Only eight more days until I publish my book... if I can get the map done in time, that is. Haha._

 _Enjoy the lovely blue feather..._

* * *

One Rainy Night: Part Three

Adrien awoke to the jarring motion of leaping and landing on buildings. Looking around, he could see he was near his home. His heart constricted, and he tried to break free of his confines.

"Drat it! Hold still, Adrien. You're going to make me fall."

Startled, he glanced up at his captor. Bluebell cat eyes focused straight ahead, the black mask conforming to her face as her blonde hair whipped around her face. She glanced down at him.

"It's okay, Adrien."

 _Where are we going?_ His question came out as a mewl. He shivered in the chilly night air.

Her arms completely wrapped around him, encapsulating him in a warmer embrace. He curled his head into the crook of her neck, closing his eyes. Within a few minutes, they were in the warmth of a building.

"You shouldn't leave your window open in this chilly weather," she commented softly. "Plagg, silence bell."

Plagg popped out of the ring as the Miraculous suit faded away to expose the blonde Marinette standing in his bathroom. He chirped in surprise, glancing around with wide eyes.

Tikki floated out of the bag, looking _very_ unhappy. "I still don't like the idea of this," she muttered.

"If it's found out that he had ran out, he'll only be banned from school even longer than just a week, Tikki." Marinette carried Adrien out of the bathroom, setting her bag down in his desk chair. "Really, what's gotten into you? You're usually more rational than this."

Plagg sank into the first pillow, tired. "If emotions are strong enough, we feel them, too. Tikki is probably channeling Adrien's depression over being stuck in here; I'm used to channeling those feelings because my wielders tend to have those emotions, whereas Tikki does better with creative, upbeat wielders."

Adrien blinked at the kwami, not quite understanding the full conversation. However, he had enough of it to piece together something about Plagg. _Leech_ , Adrien shot at the kwami, but it came out as a loud meow.

"Shh, Adrien," Marinette whispered, glancing at the entrance to his room. "Hold still; let me get the collar off."

Within seconds, he was the same size as Marinette. He blinked slowly at her, still sleepy. He yawned.

Marinette bit back a giggle. "Well, you're not completely back to normal, but it's better than - hey!"

He rubbed his cheek against her shoulder. A purr rumbled through his chest as he sleepily snuggled up next to her. She smelled of catnip and caramel.

She patted his hair, and he leaned into her hand. "Ooookay… Adrien, you _do_ know you're not a cat, right?"

* * *

Marinette stared into those green cat eyes as they slowly blinked at her tiredly. Oh, how she wanted to just curl up with him and sleep next to him…

But no; Adrien was _not_ a cat.

"Mrow?"

Tikki zipped through the air, agitated. "I was afraid of this! Plagg, interpret, _now_!"

Plagg scoffed at her. "I may be a cat kwami, but I don't know human-cat speech."

" _Try_!"

Marinette had never seen Tikki so worked up over anything. It took her by surprise - that is, until Adrien nuzzled her again, breathing deeply.

 _I must still smell like catnip_ , she realized, noting how he butted his face against her hand several times. "Plagg, how do I snap him out of this?"

Plagg shrugged. "Try slapping him again."

She glared at him. He huffed, perching on Marinette's shoulder - directly in Adrien's line of sight. The boy blinked, focusing on the little creature. "Adrien, snap out of it. You're a human, for camembert's sake."

Adrien's nose wrinkled at the word _camembert_. He glanced at Marinette before refocusing on Plagg. He frowned slightly. "... Plagg?" he mumbled slowly, as if testing the word.

"No," Plagg said sarcastically, "I'm that annoying part of your brain that floats in the air and likes camembert cheese. _Of course_ I am. Now snap out of it, Adrien." He smacked Adrien's nose.

Adrien reeled back, holding a hand over a small nick. Marinette glared at Plagg. "I didn't say _hurt_ him!"

Plagg scoffed, "He wasn't going to revert back any other way!"

Adrien blinked at them slowly, and she saw emotion flicker in his eyes. "Marinette…"

She nodded; hopefully, he was more back to normal. "Are you feeling better, Adrien?"

"You… smell good…" he murmured, leaning towards her to sniff at her neck. She froze, stunned. His hands slowly wrapped around her waist. "I… don't want to let go…"

"Eeep!" she squeaked as he pulled her down onto the bed. She tried to squirm away as he curled up next to her, his arm trapping her. "A-Adrien - "

Her face burned as he exhaled slowly, his head resting half-on his pillow and half-on her shoulder. She could hear a light purr emanating from him.

"Adrien?" she queried, trying to shift her left arm. However, his body had pinned it down completely. Rubbing her forehead with her hand, she laughed self-consciously. "Jeez… stupid cat."

She remembered belatedly that she forgot to text her father. She fumbled in her pocket, pulling out her phone and texting a short message to him saying that she made it and she was going to bed now.

She set an alarm for early in the morning; no way was she planning to be caught in Adrien's room by his guardians or father. Running her fingers through his hair, she smiled slightly as she felt the rumbling purr against her. _I could get used to this_ , she thought.

He snuggled closer, his head now fitting perfectly into the crook of her neck. She kissed the top of his head, scratching behind his ears. "Goodnight, kitty," she whispered.

* * *

A figure wandered through the alleys of Paris, looking odd in his dark jewel-blue tunic and orange-red tights. An orange-red rope cinched the tunic close to his waist, holding up the feather-patterned half-skirt in the back that looked almost like a plume. Blue slippers padded over the ground, not making a sound as he loosely held a feathered fan in his hand. A matching blue feather mask covered his face, a single black-outlined reddish-orange oval with a single black dot in the middle of it centered on his forehead. His eyes were a swirl of red, orange, and blue, matching his outfit. His hair was a dark brown and held back with an ornate gold clasp.

He paused, his kaleidoscope eyes narrowing. A little girl stepped out of the shadows, dressed in a white and pink dress with paw prints on it. She held a plain collar in her right hand.

"Oooh, pretty birdie," she crooned, smiling sickeningly sweet. "Would you like to play with my kitties, birdie?"

The boy smiled slightly. "My apologies," he said in French, a middle-Eastern accent tainting his voice. "But I am not here to play."

She tapped her chin with the collar, mulling over his words. A butterfly design formed over her face, and she frowned. "But he's so pretty…"

The boy's red, orange, and blue eyes zero in on the collar. Snapping open his fan, he swung it in an arc in front of him. Three peacock feathers zip forward, but only two hit the girl; one in the shoulder and one in the arm. The third lodged itself into the wall. She swayed, caught by his paralyzation attack.

The butterfly mark remained over her face as she stared, wide-eyed, as he plucked the collar out of her hand and tore it in half. A black butterfly appeared as the girl's outfit faded away to reveal a cat-print set of pajamas.

He caught the butterfly between two fingers, his gold bangles tinkling against his wrist. He examined the butterfly curiously. "Hmm… how unusual. I heard they were supposed to be white." He shrugged to himself. "Oh, well. There shouldn't be a difference."

He tilted his head back and put the butterfly in his mouth.

Without chewing, he swallowed the butterfly whole. He felt the owner's power wane as he absorbed it into himself, draining the connection between the two. Closing his eyes, he waited until it was completely done. Placing two fingers into his mouth, he reached back and pulled out a large blue peacock feather. At the top, a black ring encircled a purple oval, which was all that remained of the butterfly's original power.

He grinned, ecstatic. "It worked…"

* * *

Hawkmoth, having already been weakened by creating multiple akumas back-to-back, fell to his knees. He coughed, clutching his chest as the image of the feather-masked boy lingered in his mind.

"No," he gasped, his hand clenching around his Butterfly Miraculous. "My… powers…"

He knew who this was. Or, at least, he knew the Miraculous; he had fought beside it once before several years ago. But why was it on such a young boy? Why did he _attack_ his akuma and _eat_ it?

Where was the original owner?

Staggering to his feet, he gritted out, "Nooroo, fold wings." Ignoring the gasping kwami now lying on the stone floor, he staggered out of the dark room.

Nooroo* looked up at the still-open window. She smiled weakly, not moving just quite yet to the sparse amount of food her wielder kept in the room for her. "It's been a while, Iraami…"

" _It has, indeed!_ " A chipper voice answered inside her mind, possible only because the kwami - through his wielder - had eaten one of Nooroo's butterflies. " _Your butterflies taste corrupted. Did something happen to your Miraculous wielder?_ "

Nooroo closed her eyes, exhausted. "He lost his partner. He's now searching for a way to bring her back… through the creation and destruction kwami."

" _Oh, no… that's not good. Wait, Plagg is here?!_ " Iraami sounded enraged, his voice chirping even faster. " _That thief! I'll get back at him for what happened last time! That had_ hurt _!_ "

"Iraami, please set aside your differences with him and work _with_ them to help defeat Hawkmoth," Nooroo begged, finally gathering the strength to drag herself over to her food of fruit. She took a bite out of the pear, avoiding the bad spot on it. "My wielder needs to be stopped before - "

" _Oh, gotta go. Lots of pecks, Roro! I'll try to have my wielder catch another butterfly so we can chat again._ " The connection cut out.

Nooroo slumped against the wall, staring forlornly at the pear. Iraami was flighty and spontaneous; he didn't typically pick sides unless it benefited him for some reason or another. _Let us hope he picks the side with Tikki and Plagg,_ Nooroo prayed, taking another bite out of the pear.

* * *

Marinette slapped her phone, shutting off her alarm. A heavy weight over her midsection held her down, keeping her pinned to the bed. Glancing to her left, she saw Adrien's sleeping face.

Her cheeks turned bright red.

His hair was a mess; near the top, the dark locks formed the vague shape of cat ears. When she tried to pull away, he groaned, holding her tighter. "Marinette…" he mumbled in his sleep, leaning into her sleeve.

Her heart nearly exploded.

 _Ohmygosh, he's dreaming about me_ , she thought, reverting back to her spazzing thought process whenever Adrien was involved. _How am I supposed to react? Is it even a good dream? What if it's not? What if he's really dreaming about how he broke up with me and we never got married and -_

He rolled over, effectively trapping her underneath half of his body as his leg wrapped around hers. His arm around her midsection reached around her side, his hand tucking underneath her shoulder. "Mari…" he murmured again.

"A-Adrien?" She rested her hand on his arm, shaking gently. "Adrien, I need to go…"

He groaned, his arms constricting around her as his face buried into her neck. "No…"

"B-but if anyone sees me…"

"Mmm… don't leave me… don't… disappear…"

Her heart clenched for a different reason this time. She ran her fingers through his hair and rubbed his back comfortingly. "I won't leave you, Adrien. But… I do need to get up."

He pulled back just enough to gaze at her with sleepy green eyes. His pupils were still vertical slits, but the white part of his eyes were back. He slowly blinked just like a cat, his lips parted. "Mmmm… don't wake me up."

"Th-this isn't a dream," she stammered, blushing furiously. "A-and seriously, if I stay here much longer, someone will find out!"

Adrien's eyes opened all the way at this. He stared at her for a long moment, his eyes sweeping over her as if he was making sure she was all there and really in front of him. "How did we get here?"

"I-I-I c-carried you," Marinette stammered. "Y-you know, while you were a cat, not that cat you're now - I mean, you cat still are. You're still a cat." She wanted to hide.

Adrien blinked, slowly propping himself onto his elbows. "I'm… still a cat?" He glanced down at himself. "But…"

Marinette grinned goofily, her eyes slightly glazed. "Your ears a-are hair. I mean, y-your hair are forming ears. And your eyes are Chat's."

He continued to rise off of her, putting distance between them. At this, though, he stopped and placed a hand against his cheek right below his eye.

"A-Adrien, I need to get to school," Marinette quickly spouted, glancing anywhere but into that beautiful, enchanting combination of Adrien's and Chat Noir's eyes. "I told my dad I was staying at Alya's house and then going to school…"

His expression darkened. "I… won't be able to go," he mumbled.

She touched his face lightly. "I'll be back, okay?" she whispered. He looked at her, hopeful, and she winked. "Cat's promise."

* * *

 _A/N: I hope you liked meeting the Peacock Miraculous! He sure has a flashy entrance into the story, huh? I wonder what this means for Ladybug and Chat Noir... is he friend or foe? Only I know!_

 _* Nooroo = There was a note on the Miraculous Ladybug Wiki page that in the Korean version, Nooroo has a female pronoun. So, for the sake of my fanfic, I'm going with that. After all, female peacocks don't have vivid colors like what's on the peacock Miraculous - only male peacocks. (I also don't want Tikki to be the only female kwami!) I also have plans for the Butterfly Miraculous later on in my fanfic... so yeah. Nooroo is female while the Peacock Kwami is male._


	25. Zamir Sanaz

_A/N: Oh my gosh. 101 followers! I feel so special. 3 To show my gratitude for all of you wonderful people who seemed to have liked my story enough to click that 'follow' button, I will post two chapters at the same time! Enjoy the rest of the_ One Rainy Night _episode!_

* * *

One Rainy Night: Part Four

Adrien sighed, closing his window. Marinette had turned into 'Kitty Noir' and left on the promise of dropping by after school with some cookies for Tikki. Running on automatic, he grabbed some clothes and jumped into the shower, nearly yowling when the water hit him.

He _really_ didn't like water.

The discovery shocked him. He had never been one to dislike water, even as Chat Noir; however, as he quickly scrubbed his hair, he couldn't shake the creepy feeling of how the water dripped over him, encapsulating him and dampening his senses. He escaped that watery cocoon as fast as he could, drying off in record time.

As soon as he was dry and dressed, he went to the sink, inwardly grumbling to himself about the water. However, his reflection in the mirror froze him, and every thought in his mind fled.

His hair, having been plastered to his head after he had brushed it, was noticeably sticking up at two spots on his head. The way they were raised made him think of…

Cat ears.

Pressing down on his head, he felt nothing but hair. However, as soon as he released the locks, they sprang back up as if invisible cat ears were there, framing the vague shape. He met his own gaze in the mirror, trying to swallow the panic welling up within him.

Marinette had told him earlier that he still had cat-like eyes, although her words hadn't registered until just now. His green eyes looked normal except for the two vertical slits that were his pupils. They were paper-thin now, turning his entire iris a vivid green.

Darting out of his bathroom, he skidded into his closet, tearing through it to find a hoodie in the back corner. He tugged it on, already heading to his desk to find some light sunglasses - enough to disguise his eyes, but not enough to impede his vision.

Not that it would. He had been able to see in the dark closet just fine.

His reflexes were as good as when he had been Chat Noir, too. He found that out when he accidentally bumped against his shelf in a rush, and one of his trophies had fallen. His hand had snapped out and caught it before he had even realized what he had been doing.

Taking a deep breath, he double-checked that his hood was in place before yanking the door open, steeling himself to face his father.

A boy of about sixteen years old with light blue eyes stood there, his tanned hand raised to knock. His other hand was in his ripped designer jeans pocket, his black leather jacket open to expose a simple grey shirt underneath it. Dark brown hair was pulled into a ponytail, the tail draped over his shoulder. His finely-shaped Arabian face showed surprise as he took in Adrien's appearance.

"Hey, Adrien," he greeted, smiling awkwardly. He had only a slight middle-eastern accent. "It's been a while."

"Zamir?" Adrien said, gaping at the model. "What are you doing here?"

Zamir frowned in puzzlement. "Didn't your father tell you? Him and my father are working together on preparing for the winter fashion show this year. I got to transfer to Paris for the duration of our stay."

Adrien followed Zamir down the hallway, still dazed. "No, he didn't tell me…" He glanced at the fellow model. "Wait, what school did you transfer to?"

He rattled off the name of Adrien's high school. His head spun.

"Your father said you attend that school, as well!" Zamir exclaimed, looking excited. "Maybe you could show me around today?"

Adrien shook his head. "Sorry, man. I'm on house arrest right now; grounded for a week." He pointed at his hair underneath the hood. "I… pushed it a little too far with him."

"Black hair looks good on you, though," he complimented, unfazed by Adrien's comment. "And you father said he would let you go to school as long as you're with me."

"Zamir!" A tall man with dark hair clipped short and in a business suit stopped them, his pearly teeth looking bright against his dark skin. Adrien recognized Zamir's father, Viraj, who was a famous fashion designer from their home country. "Hold up a moment, son. I need to tell you something before you leave. Good to see you again, Adrien," Viraj said, patting Adrien's shoulder as he passed by.

Gabriel approached Adrien. The boy gulped, his eyes wide as he stared up at his father. He looked tired as if he hadn't slept much the night before. _I wonder if he pulled another all-nighter_ , Adrien thought. _I hope he finished it… he's grumpy when he doesn't._

Gabriel sniffed in disapproval at his son's appearance. "Make sure to behave yourself with Viraj's son. If I hear you stepped out of line - "

" _What_?!" Zamir exclaimed from across the room, sounding appalled. Viraj hushed him, continuing in Persian.

Gabriel took a deep breath. "You are allowed to go to school as long as Zamir is with you. We already matched up his schedule with yours; he will be attending all the same classes as you."

Adrien felt hope flicker in his chest. Freedom with a leash, but he would take it. "Yes, sir. Thank you."

Zamir approached them, giving Gabriel a curious expression before leaning on Adrien's shoulder. "Ready to go wow the commoners?" he asked, grinning.

As they climbed into Adrien's escort car, the Gorilla looked at them in the rearview mirror until they were buckled before driving down the road towards the school. Zamir leaned towards Adrien, whispering, "Who's the silent giant?"

"I call him Gorilla," he whispered back, "he never speaks, and he's just so huge!"

Zamir smothered his laugh. Within a few minutes, they were at the school; Gorilla pulled up front and stopped, putting the vehicle in park.

"See you later!" Adrien called to Gorilla, hopping out of the vehicle first.

Zamir followed, a little bit more refined as he unfolded his long legs and stood up, stretching in the morning sun. He glanced around lazily, a small yet dazzling smile hinting at his features.

 _Always the attention hog_ , Adrien thought, remembering the different times he had had to do shoots with the Persian model. He gestured up the stairs. "Come on; we don't want to be late."

* * *

Marinette fidgeted in her chair, staring at Adrien's seat. She wondered how he was doing. Was he prowling around his room like a cat, or had he retained his human mind?

"Spill, girl," Alya whispered, leaning towards her. "You've been staring at Adrien's seat ever since you sat down. Plus, why is you hair blonde now?"

Marinette bit her lip, wondering how much she could tell her best friend. Nino glanced over his shoulder, watching them closely. "Well, I-I heard he was put on lockdown again for a week…" she stammered, hoping this topic would distract her friend from her hair. It did.

"Again?" Alya hissed.

Nino leaned back, staring at Marinette. "Where did you hear that? I haven't heard of it."

She blushed. "H-he told me."

Alya's and Nino's eyes widened. "Wait, you have his number now?" Alya feigned fainting. "Marinette's getting brave!"

"Sh-shut up! I've had his number for a while now!" Marinette defended herself, her face bright red.

Nino stared at his best friend's seat, frowning. "At least it's only for a week this time…"

The door burst open and Adrien darted in, dragging someone in behind him. Squeals followed them into the room as the two models shut the door behind themselves and leaned against it heavily, gasping for air. They looked at one another and laughed.

"Good to see you're still popular with the ladies, Agreste," the tan-skinned Persian said, his smile perfectly white against his skin. He straightened his leather jacket as he stood upright.

Adrien tugged on the corner of his hoodie, adjusting his skewed glasses. "I think you're more popular than me, Sanaz."

"Oh, Adrikins!" Chloe exclaimed, vaulting across the room and latching onto Adrien's arm. "Those three were just talking about how you had been grounded again! I'm _so_ glad it was a _lie_." She shot Marinette a nasty, triumphant glance.

"Actually, it was true," Adrien said sheepishly, moving to rub the back of his head but thinking better of it with his hood on. "Remember Zamir? He showed up this morning and convinced my dad to let me come to school."

"Chloe Bourgeois?" Zamir exclaimed, surprised. "Wow, you… haven't changed at all."

Marinette nearly snorted with surprised laughter at the blunt insult.

Chloe stared at him, her mouth falling open. She detached from Adrien, staring at Zamir as if he would disappear if she blinked. "You…"

He raised an eyebrow, waiting. He placed a hand on his hip.

Chloe squealed loudly, her hands flying over her mouth. "Zamir Sanaz! What are you doing in Paris? Is your father here? Is he and Mr. Agreste doing another show together?"

Zamir smirked. "Yup, so I'll be here for a bit."

Adrien slipped into his seat next to Nino, sighing heavily. "Dude, what happened?" Nino asked, glancing between him and Marinette.

Adrien rested his elbows on the table, rubbing his temples. "I don't even know where to begin, Nino." He turned around, looking up at Marinette. "Good morning, Marinette."

"G-good morning," she responded, her cheeks reddening.

"Dude!" Nino exclaimed. "Your hair!" He reached forward to pull back Adrien's hood.

Adrien's hand snapped out, wrapping around Nino's wrist and stopping his friend. He chuckled nervously. "Y-yeah, right? Turned out great after I slept over at your place."

Nino froze, then joined in on the laughter. "No kidding! I didn't realize it was so dark until now."

Adrien smirked. "It's part of the reason I got put on house-arrest."

"Ohhh," Zamir breathed, setting his arms on Adrien's shoulders and resting his head on top of his hood. "Are these your friends, Adrien? Care to introduce me?"

Adrien pointed at Nino. "This is my best friend, Nino, and his girlfriend, Alya," he explained simply, his finger moving in an arc to stop on Marinette. "And that's Marinette, my girlfriend."

The entire room went silent. Chloe, who had been powdering her face, suddenly choked on the nose-full of powder she had launched on herself. She whirled around, facing them. " _What_?!"

"Marinette!" Alya gasped, her eyes wide and hands covering her mouth. "When were you going to tell us?" Nino glanced between Adrien and Marinette as if he knew some secret.

Marinette blushed. _I-I guess we are_ , she thought, twirling a lock of blonde hair. "We-well, it only happened ye-yesterday…" She glanced shyly at Adrien. "I mean, I wasn't even _sure_ …"

Adrien smirked at her, his eyes glinting behind the glasses. "You doubt my feelings, Princess? Ouch, that hurts." He winked.

Marinette blushed at the nickname Chat had always called her in her civilian form. Alya and Nino gasped, glancing between each other and the new couple in barely-contained excitement.

Zamir watched Marinette for a moment before sitting down next to Adrien on the bench, making him scoot closer to Nino. "No wonder you didn't want to stay at home!" he said, grinning. "With such a cute girlfriend sitting behind you, how can you even focus in class?"

Just then, their teacher walked into the room, silencing the room and beginning the class. He began by introducing Zamir to the class, saying he was a transfer student from the middle-east and his father was partnering with Gabriel Agreste on the winter fashion show. Zamir stood tall and regal, thriving in the spotlight of the room.

In the next class, Alya pulled Nino into the seat next to her. Marinette took the hint and sat shyly next to Adrien. It felt awkward to try to act normally around him after what they had been through recently. "I-is it all right if I - "

"Oops," Zamir huffed, accidentally bumping Marinette's shoulder as he sat between Adrien and Marinette. "Hey. Mind if I sit here?"

Adrien looked a bit irritated. "Dude. really?"

Grinning, Zamir opened his mouth. However, when he looked at Adrien, his mouth hung open for a few seconds before he scrambled up and moved to the end. "Sorry, man. Didn't realize it was that big a deal."

Adrien scooted closer, exhaling slowly. Seeing his hand clenching and unclenching underneath the table, Marinette reached out and touched it lightly. He wrapped his fingers around hers, smiling at her gratefully.

That was when she saw what had probably freaked Zamir out.

Adrien's pupils were two narrow vertical slits behind the slightly tinted glasses; from a distance, no one would notice, but she was sitting right next to him. They slowly widened as he stared at her, taking one slow breath after another.

"Are you feeling okay?" she whispered.

He gave her a small nod. "Better than earlier," was all he said, but she understood. He had meant he was feeling better than last night when he had nearly lost himself to the feline spell that had been cast on him.

"Say, Marinette," Zamir started, leaning forward to look at the girl. His blue eyes glinted almost like ice reflecting light. "I hear you're an aspiring fashion designer. Which field are you most looking forward to?"

"I don't quite know yet," she admitted, continuing to hold Adrien's hand underneath the table. "I kind of play in each field to see how I feel about it. I've yet to find one I _don't_ like, in fact." She laughed self-consciously.

Adrien smirked, glancing at her. "Mari is pretty amazing. She's made several things in my father's competitions, and if she didn't get first place, it was only because she made it to the rounds with professional designers."

Zamir whistled, impressed. He grinned. "Maybe you could make me something, then."

Adrien hissed.

It was faint and barely there, but Zamir and Marinette were close enough to hear it. Zamir's eyes widened. "Whoa, dude, I was just - "

Marinette tugged him closer to her, squeezing his hand almost painfully as she whispered, "It's okay, kitty. Just settle down; if you can make it through the day, I'll give you a good scratch, okay?"

Adrien's eyes swiveled towards her, wide and shocked. For a moment, she wondered if she had taken it too far when he breathed, "Promise?"

"Promise."

He took a deep, steadying breath. "Okay."


	26. Affection

One Rainy Night: Part Five

As soon as they got into the vehicle at the end of the day, Zamir turned to him with a smirk and said, "There for a moment, I thought you were about to pounce on her!"

Adrien grimaced at the verbage. It hadn't helped that her fingers had still smelled faintly of catnip, nor how her blonde pigtails had looked exceptionally fun to play with while she had been bent over her textbooks in class. He couldn't forget how she _smelled_ , either; that was an aphrodisiac to him just by itself. No need for the lace of catnip added to the mix.

"Seriously, though. Have you two only just started dating? You act a lot closer than that." Zamir twirled the end of his ponytail between his fingers, watching Adrien from the corner of his eye.

"We were good friends beforehand," Adrien muttered, closing his eyes as he slumped in his seat. "A couple years, in fact."

To think she had had a crush on him since junior high; it still boggled his mind, although he hadn't been much different with Ladybug.

"When did you meet her? How did you meet? Did sparks fly instantly?" Zamir fired off, a light glinting in his eyes. "Come on, man. Tell your bestie the _deets_."

Adrien finally looked at him. _Really_ looked. Zamir had gotten even handsomer from the last time the Parisian model had seen him about four years ago. The brown hair, which used to be pinned back with only a simple ribbon, had a blue brooch pinned to it, holding it in place instead of the usual knot. Adrien didn't get a good look at it, but it seemed to be a plume of feathers in a semicircle.

"Seriously, Zamir?" Adrien shook his head, smiling slightly. "No way am I telling you all that. I like it being kept between just me and her." _Plus, Gorilla is in the car. Who knows if he ever goes back to my father and tells him what conversations I had in the vehicle?_

Zamir pouted but backed off a little. "Well, she seems really sweet."

Adrien grinned. "She is." _In more ways than one_ , he found himself thinking, licking his lips. Staring out the window, he gritted his teeth. They needed to find the akumatized person who had done this to him and purify them. He didn't know if he could handle being part cat all the time.

Especially with Marinette's sinfully-amazing fingers and ambrosiac scent.

He closed his eyes, rubbing his temples in an attempt to dispel the shadowy sensation of her hands running across him as a cat and through his hair as a human. He couldn't _wait_ for the akuma to be gone; he wanted to forget the urge to curl up next to her and nuzzle her hand until she pet him.

Or… did he?

"Adrien, you okay?" Zamir asked, concerned. "Bad headache?"

"Ah… yeah," Adrien fibbed, smiling weakly as he pushed up his sunglasses, hiding his dilating eyes. "Just a bit."

* * *

Marinette knew she should wait until darkness, but she couldn't stop herself from heading to Adrien's in her civilian form under the excuse of having a class project. At the door, she hesitated, her hand hovering over the intercom system attached to the outside.

"Don't worry, man! I'll be right back!" Zamir laughed, grinning as he pushed the door open. He stopped and stared at Marinette, taking in her startled, deer-in-the-headlights look. "Oh, hey, Marinette. Here to see Adrien?"

"Y-y-yeah," she stammered, and mentally kicked herself. "H-how is he?"

Zamir raised an eyebrow at her stammering. "He has a headache. I'm going to get some supplies so I can make him a remedy." Something flashed across his face, too quick to read. "Want to come with me?"

"Uh…" Was she allowed to decline? Would it look bad if she declined? But if it's for Adrien… "S-sure."

Zamir grinned, beckoning down the street. "Perfect, then! Because honestly, I don't know where to find fresh produce here, and I need herbs."

Apparently, the 'remedy' Zamir talked about was a natural concoction of herbs and fruit. They picked up apples, ginger, peppermint, lavender, and basil. Zamir seemed to be an expert on herbs, bypassing many stores before he finally settled on one that sold the exact type he was looking for. By the time they made it back to the Agreste Mansion, the sun was dipping low on the horizon, preparing for sunset.

Marinette paused at the door, unsure if she should enter so casually with him. However, when Zamir glanced back and didn't see her following, he gestured her to step inside. "Come on in!"

Marinette followed him hesitantly. "A-are you sure it's okay…?"

Zamir nodded absently, already taking off without her. She scrambled to keep up. Soon, they were in a large kitchen where several individuals were scuttling about, preparing a wonderful-smelling dish. Marinette subconsciously blushed, feeling out of place despite having grown up in the kitchen.

Zamir went to an unoccupied corner of the room and began prepping the items he had gotten. For the most part, the staff left them alone unless Zamir needed something and couldn't find it. Within a few minutes, he had a brew steeping on the stove in a large pot; apple slices, peppermint leaves, and lavender sprigs floated within. He stirred it lazily.

"Thanks for helping out," he commented, flashing her a grin.

She smiled nervously back. "I-I didn't feel like much help…"

"Don't say that. You were." He took a ladle and poured some of the liquid into a mug. "That's for Adrien. It should help him relax and ease his headache; I noticed he also seemed pretty uptight about something."

Marinette couldn't help but sniff the steaming liquid. It smelled _wonderful_ ; the mint had been added last so it wouldn't overpower the other two, and the apple - having steeped the longest - had the stronger scent. "Wow, it smells amazing!"

He chuckled. "Do you want a cup, too?"

She quickly shook her head. "Oh, no. I couldn't; it's for Adrien!"

He gestured to the broth. "I'm pretty sure Adrien won't be drinking all of this!" He scooped out some into another cup and pushed it into her hands before she could complain. "Here. Now let's go."

Her cheeks reddened. "Th-thank you," she muttered, walking carefully so as to not spill the hot liquid on herself.

However, because she was focused so much on the drinks, she nearly made the catastrophic mistake of running into the person on the other side of the kitchen door.

Gabriel Agreste stared down at her with an impassive look on his face. She froze, barely catching herself from tripping and falling into him. "M-M-Mister Agreste!" she squeaked.

He frowned at her. "You are Marinette, correct? What are you doing here?"

Zamir glanced between them quickly before piping up, "She came by to see how Adrien was doing since he wasn't feeling well at school, so I had her help me with a little remedy. I hope you don't mind, sir."

Gabriel glanced at Zamir, his expression relaxing out of the frown - although he still looked daunting to Marinette. "I see. Thank you for taking such good care of my son, Zamir. Pardon me; I need to request a tonic for my headache."

"U-um, sir," Marinette stammered, her face red. However, she straightened up, gathering her courage. "I-if you'd like, you could have this cup. It's Zamir's headache remedy that he made for Adrien."

Gabriel slowly took the extra cup, giving her a curious look. He took a sip. "Mmm. Quite delicious. I suppose your mother taught you this recipe, Zamir?"

Zamir's cheeks darkened. He rubbed the back of his head, grinning sheepishly. "Yeah, she did. I'm guessing she's made it for you before on visits with my dad?"

Gabriel nodded, walking down the hallway. "Stay as long as you'd like, Marinette; you can eat supper here. There's a phone in the foyer if you need to call your parents."

"Th-thank you!" she called after him, her head spinning. Once he was out of sight, she allowed the small tremble in her legs. "Wow. I talked to Gabriel Agreste…"

Zamir chuckled, although he looked a little puzzled. "You must have done something to impress him. Usually, you have to be in _really_ good standing just to visit, let alone stay over for a bit. Come on; let's get the tea to Adrien before it cools down too much. I'll show you the way."

* * *

Adrien heard the soft knock. Sighing, he got up and opened his door, glaring at Zamir. "I told you I'm fine," he grumbled, noticing Zamir's sweet smile.

"Oh, I'm sure you will be. Marinette, dear, don't be shy." Zamir stepped out of the way, nudging the girl forward.

Adrien's heart nearly stopped right then and there.

He had _just_ managed to get her out of his head by playing an intense shooter game. He had _just_ managed to forget how good her fingers had felt running through his hair. He had _just_ managed to avoid thinking how wonderful it would have been to kiss her.

All of that came rushing back.

He stood in the doorway, staring at her with his mouth slightly open. His eyes dilated - lucky, really, considering he didn't have his sunglasses on and Zamir hadn't noticed his slit eyes when he had answered the door - and became almost as round as regular pupils as he stared at her, taking her in.

He suddenly remembered that she had promised she would pet him - give him "a good scratch," as she had said. His breath hitched at this thought, and his lips pulled tight as he refrained the urge to immediately drape himself over her like he had as a cat last night.

 _No, no, no!_ he berated himself, _I'm a human! Not a cat!_

Zamir placed a palm on Marinette's back, and Adrien's vision temporarily turned red. However, all he did was push the blonde girl into the room, smirking at Adrien. "Go on in, Marinette. I'll be back in a few minutes with a new mug for you."

Marinette barely kept herself from tripping over her own two feet. Adrien reached out to help steady her, but all he really succeeded in was catching a whiff of her scent mingling with the tea in her hand. The door clicked shut behind Zamir as he quickly left the two of them alone.

"Ah… uh…" Marinette stammered, staring into his _very_ dilated eyes. "H-here! Zamir made this!"

 _I don't care about that_ , he wanted to say, but words just wouldn't form. He stared down at the mug now in his hands; Marinette's fingers pull away from him. He looked at her again.

"D-d-do y-you want to s-sit down?" Marinette stammered. Just her stammering made him want to curl up next to her and never want to move again.

He nodded mutely, moving to the couch. He took a swallow from the tea as she sat next to him; the hot liquid helped distract him temporarily. Putting the mug on the table, he looked at her again in time to see Plagg slip out of her small bag and disappear into the room - probably searching for Tikki or escaping to the kitchen to steal some cheese.

"Marinette - "

"Adrien - "

They paused, laughing awkwardly. "You first," Marinette encouraged, relaxing against the cushions of the couch.

"Could you…" he blushed, not believing he was asking this. "C-could… you…"

Realization dawned on her face. She reached forward, brushing her fingertips against his jawline. He leaned into her palm immediately, his purr instantaneous. Her lips parted in surprise. "You're… just like a cat…"

He groaned, the sound blending in with his purr as he tilted his head so she could reach that _one_ spot… oooh, yes, that was nice…

Suddenly, two hands were on him: one scratching underneath his chin while the other slid through his hair, massaging his scalp as it pushed his hoodie back. The purr intensified as he leaned forward into both of the hands.

Marinette's giggle only added to his elation. "Oh, you silly kitty. H-hey! Wh-what are you doing?!"

His hands kneaded her thigh. He tried to stop it, but it was like trying to control the purr; the cat in him had taken over. "S-sorry," he said thickly, the purring affecting his words.

She giggled again, kissing the tip of his nose. "It's okay, kitty. I just didn't expect it."

He nuzzled her face before he could stop himself, moving even closer to her. He heard the soft intake of breath, felt her heartbeat quicken underneath his hands which were now on her waist. Vaguely, he realized they were leaning back on the couch, his nose pressed against her neck as his hands kneaded and contracted on her waist. Her own fingers had stopped petting his jaw and had moved to grip his hair and run along his spine and neck.

Adrien heard the distinct sound of footsteps approaching. He wrapped Marinette in an unbreakable hug before withdrawing slowly, collapsing on the couch next to her in sheer exhaustion from having to withhold all of that pent-up 'feline instincts' for the whole day.

Marinette straightened up on the couch, blushing furiously as she tamed her skewed pigtails. Still craving physical touch, Adrien propped his head on her thigh, sighing contentedly as her hand hesitantly began stroking his hair. "Thank you," he mumbled, the purr subsiding. "We need to find that akuma before I go crazy…"

"Hmm." He couldn't see her, but he could imagine her thoughtful expression. "So… that was all… the cat?"

His hand kneaded the couch as she massaged a particularly wonderful spot. The purr came back, coupled with a contented sigh. "Something… like that…"

* * *

Marinette's head spun like a top. When she had used both of her hands to pet him out of amusement from his reaction, his pure feline reaction to knead had made her react in kind and kiss his nose like she would with a real cat.

She hadn't expected him to nuzzle her face, though.

Not only that, but his hands had shifted from her leg to her waist, pushing her back onto the pillows as he had shown her affection just like a cat would. But… he wasn't a cat. He was Adrien, her boyfriend and partner, and _kwamis help her_ , he was _purring_. It had reverberated through her, making her tingle all over.

She found she couldn't resist him when he purred like that.

When he had pulled back and blinked sleepily, collapsing onto her leg with a 'thank you,' she couldn't help but be a little floored. He had acted purely on _instinct_ , possibly not even registering everything he was actually doing.

She watched his hand slowly relax as she continued stroking his hair, noticing how his fingers clenched and unclenched around the fabric of the couch reflexively. Just moments before, he had been doing that on _her_. She swallowed hard, banishing that thought.

 _We need to purify the akuma that had done this, and fast_ , she thought, rubbing his scalp gently as his breathing deepened. _Whatever's happening to Adrien doesn't seem to be going away; it looks like it's only getting worse._

The door clicked shut. Marinette glanced over her shoulder, eyes wide, but it was only Zamir. She placed one finger over her lips as he approached with a frown.

His eyes widened when he saw Adrien. His blue-black hair was a mess around his face as he breathed slowly, fast asleep on Marinette's leg. When she lifted her hand to run it back over his hair, a certain part stuck up oddly only to be flattened by her stroking fingers.

"Wow," he exclaimed softly, handing Marinette the mug. She smiled gratefully at him. "I've never seen him so relaxed around anyone before."

She smiled fondly at the sleeping boy on her lap. "I'd like to think that I'm someone he can relax around," she whispered.

Zamir watched her for a few moments as she stroked Adrien's hair with half-lidded eyes, looking sleepy herself. "What do you like the most about him?" he finally asked, keeping his voice low so as to not disturb Adrien.

Marinette glanced at him, surprised. "The most…?" she repeated, frowning slightly. "That's… actually hard. There's so much I like about him; it's hard to say what I like the best."

No; that wasn't true. She just couldn't tell Zamir that what she loved the most about Adrien was that he was so willing to put his life on the line to protect his friends - to protect _her_ \- even if it meant he would get hurt. That, despite all of his witty puns and fancy fighting styles, he was reliable and dependable in a fight. He was loyal and respectful in that he would listen without question in the heat of battle, but kept his promise not to pursue her true identity when she had made that request back in junior high school.

"I guess… it's how he puts his friends and family first," she said, trying to explain her thoughts without giving away their secret. "He's so loyal and reliable; I've never seen someone with such a pure heart. He's always thinking of how what he does will impact those around him, and he tries to do the best thing for them instead of himself." Her smile was slightly sad as she tucked some of his hair behind his ear. "When he opened himself up to me the first time, I was confused, honestly. It was so different from what he usually showed the world - that happy, smiling face that didn't have a flaw. No one's perfect, though, and Adrien isn't, either. I only loved him more after finding out his flaws, though."

 _Love_. That was it. She loved him. She had always said it before, but now, she could say with certainty that this was what she felt towards him.

* * *

 _A/N: The first two chapters of my novel_ Danarko _are on Fiction Press. Just search for_ Danarko _on there, and it should show up._ _I'm so excited! Just a few more days until it's published!_


	27. A Peacock's Feather

_A/N: If you missed it, I posted the first two chapters of_ Danarko _on Fiction Press website; if you're interested, hop over and search for it! It should show up. If not and you want to read the first two chapters of my original story, just let me know and I'll PM you the link._

 _I'm so excited to publish it! It feels a little unreal, too... haha. Probably won't see another update from me until November. I hope this is satisfying enough... I know some people have been curious about Zamir._

* * *

Episode 5.5: A Peacock's Feather

Zamir stared at Marinette, stunned at her confession. He had thought for sure that the girl had only been dating Adrien because, well, he was _hot_. He was a model. He was the son of a famous, rich fashion designer.

However, her words left him floored. She really _did_ care about him. Not only that, but the way she looked at him now as she stroked his hair was filled with an emotion that nearly broke Zamir's heart into two.

He looked away, unable to stomach that look. He had seen it before; that expression, that _emotion_ , was something that could tear someone apart or fuse two people together. His heart ached as he remembered his mother's joyous smile before the harsher memory of her lifeless eyes intruded on that.

"I'll leave you two lovebirds alone for a bit, then," he murmured, smirking. He couldn't show how much her words had affected him; how much she had reminded him of his mother. He had something to do and Marinette being here gave him an opportunity to finish what he had started sooner than he had anticipated. He felt a tremble of anticipation in his jacket pocket as the little creature resting there picked up on his emotions.

Marinette blushed at Zamir's words, her hand still resting on Adrien's hair. "I-it's not like - I mean - "

He chuckled. _Poor Adrien_ , he thought as he walked towards the door. _It's no wonder he likes her. That stuttering is so adorable, and the way she gets flustered…_ He stopped himself. She was _Adrien's_ _girlfriend_. Off limits.

Giving her a casual wave, he spared her one last glance. "I know you'll take care of him, Marinette." He escaped from the room, walking down the hallway to the guest bedroom he was staying in.

Iraami peeked out of his jacket, staring at him in anticipation. "Are we - "

"Shh," Zamir whispered. "Wait."

Iraami ducked back into his pocket. When Zamir reached his room, he locked the door before taking off his jacket.

Iraami floated out, puffing out his tail feathers in a brilliant display of vivid blue with orange-red accents. "Marinette is really pretty and all, but she's hogging Adrien from us."

"It works out for the best," Zamir murmured, draping his jacket over the back of the chair and walking to the nearest window. "Now, we have an opportunity to find the pieces before supper. Iraami, preen."

"Gladly!" Iraami chirped, zooming into the peacock feathers brooch pinned to the ribbon in Zamir's hair.

Zamir shaded his eyes with one hand, dragging his fingers down his face as his body was encased in the snug Miraculous suit. Despite the shirt looking like a tunic, it actually conformed to his body like a second skin; the ends of it tapered around his hips to add a little flare, and the tail feathers reacted to his emotions. They flared out and exuded a scent depending on what he was intending; he had already used it once to intimidate a group of people who had been antagonizing him. His orange-red tights had black lines forming an oval shape, a black circle in the middle of the design. The orange-red rope around his waist gave the illusion it was holding his tail and tunic in place when, in reality, it was for mere decoration.

Iraami was so vain when it came to his looks.

He flexed his wrist, the gold bangles jangling softly. He could feel the slight added weight in his ears, knowing that the gold cuffs were encircling the outer rim of his ear. He fingered the edges of the fan that was made of black stone with gold embossment, the feathers lining up nicely within the folds. He took a deep breath, closing his eyes to finish the connection with his Miraculous.

When he opened his eyes again, they were no longer just ice blue. Darker, jewel-toned currents of the same shade shifted in his eyes, making them almost hypnotic just by themselves. However, the threads of red and orange only added to the effect. He knew the power of his eyes; they could manipulate the human mind into believing things that weren't real. They could also convince someone to forget.

He was the embodiment of hypnotism, illusion, and beauty itself.

Zamir examined himself in the mirror, running his hand down his side. He had about an hour to scour Paris for the tidbits of power he had sensed; afterwards, he had a meeting with someone very, very important. He smiled, the move looking refined - although the emotion swirling in his kaleidoscope eyes said otherwise.

He leapt from the window, spreading the feather fan impossibly wide until he could grip both ends with his hands, pulling down like a bird flapping its wings. He soared through the sky, hunting for his morsel.

* * *

Marinette shook Adrien's shoulder as soon as she was sure that Zamir was gone. "Adrien, wake up."

"Mmmm…" he groaned, his hand curling around her knee. "Not yet…"

"Adrien, we should go look for that akuma." His hand squeezed her knee, but other than that, he didn't move. "Come on, kitty. You don't want to be like this forever, do you?"

She knew it was a low blow, but she needed him up and moving. He sat up, giving such a big yawn that his eyes watered. He rubbed one eye, staring at her blearily. "Where should we look first?"

Marinette's face turned a bright pink. She looked away, squealing internally. _She_ certainly wouldn't mind if he remained part-cat. "Eh, w-we should probably s-start where you had seen her last."

"Hmm… okay." He butted his head against her shoulder. For a panicked moment, she thought he was going to nuzzle her, but he merely rested his forehead there. "So sleepy…"

"Now you know how I feel," Plagg said sarcastically, his little arms crossed. "Dude, we have a serious problem."

Adrien groaned, not rising from his position. "What is it, Plagg?"

Plagg scrunched up his face, looking very disgusted with something. "There's another Miraculous wielder in town."

Tikki, who had floated over to hear the conversation, gasped. "How do you know, Plagg?" Marinette asked, frowning slightly.

"How do I know?" he wailed. His tail whipped around, showing his agitation. "I _know_ because I saw that little glutton Iraami chowing down on the blueberry cheesecake in the fridge!"

" _Iraami_?" Tikki repeated, stunned. "But - he hasn't been here in _years_ \- "

"And then he proceeded to chew me out for yanking one of his feathers! That crybaby." Plagg muttered darkly. "How could I resist with him waving it around like a shiny toy? They're _feathers_."

Adrien had sat up during the kwami's venting, but at the mention of feathers, he wrinkled his nose. "Why was he in my fridge?" he asked, trying to stick to the important portion of the topic.

Plagg shrugged, still enraged. "I don't know! He said something about starving and wandering around until he found the cheesecake. Then the fridge door opened and I hid, but when I looked back, he was _gone_."

Adrien and Marinette exchanged a look. He shook his head. "We'll deal with… Iraami later, Plagg. Right now, we need to find the akuma that had done this to me. Plagg, claws out." He held up his bare hand in a fist.

They stared at him. He blushed, glancing away. "Ah, sorry. I'm… still half-asleep. Tikki, spots on."

His suit was the same as before; the only things that were different was that his hair still stuck up in that odd way to make it look like cat ears and his eyes were still slitted like a cat's. Within minutes, they were scouring the rooftops as Gentlebug retraced his steps from the previous night.

Marinette watched him, noticing how he still moved like a cat despite the change in the suit. She frowned, wishing she could pinpoint why she was feeling so uneasy.

They reached the spot where Gentlebug had been transformed into a cat. He glanced around, frowning. "I'm pretty sure this was it…"

"It _did_ happen last night," Marinette pointed out, crouching to examine the ground with her sharpened sight. Her hair, which had broken free of her pigtails when she had transformed, shifted to frame her face. "She could have changed location. We just have to pick up her trail and - "

"A-choo!" Gentlebug sneezed. She glanced at him; his eyes were watering. He gave her a wobbly smile. "Sorry. I don't know where - a _-choo_!"

Marinette frowned, tentatively sniffing the air. She caught the faint scent of wet feline and something else, something fluffy and soft -

"Bird," she whispered, her entire frame going still as she pinpointed where the smell was coming from. Since both of them had super noses, they had both caught it, although Adrien had been physically closer to it.

A feather was lodged into the stone wall behind Gentlebug. She pulled it out, admiring the colorful peacock plume. Before she realized it, she was twirling it in her fingers, entranced.

Gentlebug sneezed again, pulling her out of her trance. "Ah, sorry…" she mumbled, stepping away from him to examine the feather. It had an oddly sharp tip on it, and it was hollow on the inside, as if a liquid had been put inside of it.

Plagg's earlier words clicked together. _Feathers. New Miraculous in Paris. A peacock feather at the site where Adrien had been turned into a cat._ Sucking in her breath, she turned to Gentlebug with wide eyes. "We need to find Iraami's wielder _now_."

"But - "

"Mrow!"

Both their gazes dropped to Gentlebug's leg. A tabby batted at his leg, seeming almost desperate. Frowning, he bent over to stare at the cat. His eyes widened in horror and shock. "No…"

The cat meowed demandingly at him, patting at his leg urgently. Gentlebug remained crouched, unmoving.

"Gentlebug?" Marinette said gently, stepping forward. The tabby huffed at him and turned to Marinette, darting up to her. She knelt down, reaching out to scratch its ears.

Then she noticed the look in its eyes.

It had the same look the black cat from last night had had; too intelligent. It wanted her to understand something about it. Shakily, she looked at the collar; it looked like the top of a suit complete with a little bow. Her fingers fumbled as she unclipped it.

The cat turned into a full-grown man in a suit. He blinked dazedly at her, glancing around. "I'm - I'm normal again," he said, touching his throat lightly. Marinette noticed he didn't seem to have cat eyes like Adrien/Gentlebug. "I thought I'd be stuck like that forever…"

Eyes wide, the man turned towards Gentlebug. "I-I saw her turn you into a cat," he rushed out. "After you left, this guy showed up. Dressed all in blue and feathers. He-he shot the girl with feathers and then took off."

"Did you see what happened to the girl?" Marinette asked, frowning. "Did he take her with him?"

The man shook his head. "N-no. She passed out or something." He blushed. "When that happened, I… ran."

Gentlebug dragged his fingers through his hair, frustrated. Marinette helped the man to his feet and sent him on his way. "At least it doesn't seem to be permanent…" she commented as soon as the man was gone.

"Except for _mine_ ," Gentlebug exclaimed, pointing at his eyes. His pupils formed two narrow slits, nearly completely disappearing.

Marinette walked up to him, cupping his face with her hands. "We'll figure it out, kitty," she whispered, smiling reassuringly. "Let's head back for now."

His breath caught at her nickname for him. Suddenly, she found herself against the wall, having been slightly lifted by his strong arms. His lips press against hers firmly, hungrily searching hers. For what, exactly, she didn't know.

Her fingers tangled in his hair as her other hand ran across his arm and shoulder. She could feel the deep purr reverberating through his suit into her chest as his hands held her waist tightly.

When he finally pulled back, Marinette had to lean against the wall to keep from falling over as her head spun like crazy. She stared into his dilated eyes, breathing just as heavily as he was.

He bumped his forehead against hers, nuzzling the bridge of her nose. "I'll… see you tomorrow?" he asked, hopeful.

Her heart soared at this. She scratched his jawline near his ear, smiling as he purred against her. "Of course, kitty."

He brushed his lips over her cheek, giving her a final kiss. "Goodnight, Princess," he whispered.

* * *

Zamir creeped into the dark room, wary despite the invitation. He jumped when a circular shutter opened, exposing a round window overlooking Paris. White butterflies swirled around, and he had to keep himself from licking his lips.

After all, the owner of those white delicacies was standing right in front of him.

In his steel grey and purple suit that hugged his frame, he looked more imposing than Zamir had presumed. He dipped his head in respect. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Hawkmoth."

He bowed his head back. "It is good to meet the next generation of the Peacock Miraculous despite the… initial impression."

Zamir winced. "My apologies, Hawkmoth. My mother could not teach me everything of the Miraculous before she passed away."

Such a mild phrase. She had been murdered; tortured, actually. Zamir had known a little bit about the family secret, but it wasn't until he had put the brooch on for the first time that he realized the implications about being a Miraculous wielder.

"My condolences. She was a wonderful woman." Hawkmoth paused, fingering his own Miraculous. "I have a proposition for you, Feather."

"Please, call me Song Bird," he corrected him, smiling tightly. His mother had been the true wielder of the Peacock Miraculous; he was merely an imitation. As such, he couldn't bring himself to take her old name.

Hawkmoth chuckled. "As you wish. In this city, there are two other Miraculous wielders, Ladybug and Chat Noir. I have managed to switch their Miraculouses so they are now Gentlebug and Kitty Noir, but their unfamiliarity with their partner's powers will be short-lived. I would like to work with you in securing their Miraculouses; in return…" Hawkmoth suddenly clutched at his head, nearly collapsing to the floor.

Eyes widening, Zamir leaped forward and supported the taller man. "What's wrong, Hawkmoth? Are you ill?"

Hawkmoth shook his head. "No, no… I have just been expending a lot of energy to weaken them." He gave Zamir an appreciative glance as he straightened up.

"By the way, there isn't much in the way of rewards that you could give me," Zamir pointed out, twirling his fan between his fingers. "I'm not in need for much."

Hawkmoth smirked. "Kitty Noir's kwami is Plagg, and I heard that he had hurt your kwami in the past."

Zamir felt a deep anger stir within him. Yes, he had heard of that story from his friend; the destruction kwami had tackled him, yanking out one of his feathers while he had been preening. It had taken _years_ for the feather to grow back, and during that time, Iraami hadn't wanted to show his face to anyone - not even his own wielder, Zamir's mother. Ever since then, Iraami had vowed vengeance. And because Iraami was only remaining connection to his mother as well as his first - and best - friend, Zamir had promised to help Iraami get that vengeance.

Zamir's lips twist up into a wide grin, flashing his white teeth at the Butterfly Miraculous wielder. He held out his hand. "Now _that_ , I _am_ in need of. Just point me in the right direction and I shall do what I can to stump the two wielders."

* * *

 _A/N: And this is where things start getting interesting... haha!_


	28. Gift of Power

_A/N: I am so sorry for going on my partially-unannounced hiatus! National Novel Writing Month began in November, and then I had my vacation in the middle of the month. On top of all of that, I had so many book orders from friends and family with my new published book that it was all I could do to meet my daily word counts. Ecalain - book 2 of my series - is only a scene or two away from being finished, though, so I'll have a lot more time after I'm finished with that to dedicate more time to Forgotten Memories._

 _I'll try to get several parts posted in the next few days to try to make up for leaving you guys hanging. . Also, I know Crazykblade asked me to turn Adrien and Marinette back to normal... patience, my friend. ;) Everything happens for a reason._

* * *

Episode Six: Obsession

Part One

Adrien stretched, his muscles aching after the rigorous spar with his partner. Unlike usual, he didn't take off the fencing hood; he already had enough questions for the day on his differently-colored hair. His father still hadn't gotten around to having the beautician color it, so he had to attend his modeling shoots with blue-black hair. However, he had started using gel to get those annoying 'cat ear' strands to stay flat against his head. Colored contacts that were the same shade as his eyes mostly hid the other odd feature about him. At least he managed to avoid _those_ questions.

"Good spar," Esme said, bumping Adrien's arm with her fist. "You don't seem up to par, though. Are you feeling okay?"

Adrien nodded. "Yeah, just a bit rusty." Last week, Zamir had seen Adrien at an all-time low since his mother had passed away. Despite not knowing exactly why, the Persian had taken it upon himself to complain to his father about Adrien's health, trying to help Adrien rest but still have the ability to go to school. Adrien had been certain his father wouldn't agree.

But he had.

Every day, Zamir went with him to school. If it wasn't school, it was to his photo shoots to make sure Adrien wasn't straining himself. He even managed to get Adrien a free evening where he, Zamir, Nino, Alya, and Marinette went to the arcades. For some reason, Gabriel listened to Zamir. Adrien wouldn't complain, although he would admit it was a little strange.

Sighing, Adrien put up the fencing rapier. Esme followed, frowning. "Hey, that loss didn't upset you, did it?"

"No, no! I'm fine!" Adrien quickly reassured his partner. "I've just been kind of out of it today." Esme was the best in the class, better than even Adrien. Adrien believed the only way he could have defeated Esme was as Chat Noir - or now, with his cat-like reflexes, but he was too distracted today to put his all into practice.

Last night, they had found the girl who had been akumatized. However, she was no longer possessed by the little butterfly, and there were no signs of the collar that she had been holding. Adrien figured she had lost a pet due to animal violence since she had been all about 'showing' people what it was like to be an animal. However, the depressing part for him was that he was stuck with these new abilities indefinitely.

"Want to go one more round?" Esme asked, interrupting Adrien's thoughts.

Adrien smiled. Esme had a fighting spirit; she would go until one of them collapsed. Not only that, but she didn't get carried away with his looks and didn't seem to care about his popularity, which was a refreshing change. "Sorry, Esme. Not today; I need to head straight back to my place." Because of Zamir's pampering, his schedule had simultaneously gotten tighter and slackened; if he asked Zamir if he could do something, it would happen, but other than that, he had to follow the usual strict rules his father laid into place.

Esme deflated, looking unhappy. Adrien wanted to comfort her, but he had already dallied enough; grabbing his bag, he hurried out to the black car that always picked him up. _I wonder if I could ask Zamir to talk to my father about this,_ he thought, but quickly shook his head. He didn't want to push the limit with what Gabriel would let Zamir get away with.

However, he was eventually going to get down to the bottom of why Gabriel Agreste was letting a sixteen-year-old boss him around about his son.

* * *

Esme Lionis watched Adrien hurry away, obviously distracted about something. She sighed; all she had wanted was one last spar to try to help the model get out of his funk. After all, Adrien was the best other than her; it wasn't fun dueling against anyone else because they gave up too quickly.

"I wish there was someone else I could duel," she muttered to herself, trudging out of the building towards home. She raked her fingers through her chestnut hair before rubbing her face.

"And what if there is?"

Whirling, Esme's brown eyes widened as he saw a dark-skinned boy dressed in a glimmering gem-blue snug tunic and red-orange tights. A plume of peacock feathers trailed down his lower back and stopped at the back of his knees. A blue mask in the design of a blue peacock feather covered his eyes and nose; right above it, an orange oval ringed in black with a black dot in the middle was centered on his forehead.

"Wh-who are you?" Esme stammered, slowly backing up. She knew how dangerous akumatized victims could be, and by the looks of it, he was one.

The gold bangles around the boy's wrists clinked softly as he rolled his wrist to expose what was in his hand. A white butterfly with a single purple spot on each of its wings crawled across his fingers, flapping its wings lazily.

"You can call me Song Bird," the boy said, giving her a friendly smile. "I couldn't help but overhear your desire for a duel. You wish to fight someone powerful, correct? What if I could give you that?"

Esme looked at the beautiful white butterfly, wanting to coo at the pretty wings. Her gaze lifted to meet the kaleidoscope of Song Bird's eyes, becoming trapped in the gently turning strands.

"I could give you that opportunity," Song Bird crooned. His tail feathers vibrated slightly as he stepped forward. "The ability to find an enemy."

Song Bird circled the girl; he was a head taller than the fencer. Esme trembled, torn between accepting the strange person's offer and wariness.

"Who do you want to fight the most?" Song Bird asked, his voice lilting and hypnotic.

Esme trembled again, but this time, it was out of her desire to duel the one person she admired the most. "Chat… Noir," she mumbled, her fists clenching and unclenching as her cheeks turned pink. "But… it's impossible…"

Song Bird threaded an arm around Esme's waist, lifting the butterfly to the girl's face. The wings tickled her chin. "It _is_ possible," Song Bird whispered in her ear. "All you need is a weapon, something that would reflect your fighting style."

Esme's hand moved as if it had a mind of its own. It unzipped her bag, pulling out the toy Chat Noir baton she kept in the bottom. It looked like the real thing, only it didn't extend and was made out of plastic.

Song Bird chuckled, and even that sounded entrancing. "You have a crush on him, don't you?"

"Y-yeah…" Esme admitted, unable to stop herself from answering him. "I always wanted to duel him because he's so strong and dependable. He might just be the only one who could beat me; not even the best in my class, Adrien Agreste, has been able to beat me in a duel yet."

Surprised, Song Bird stared at Esme, his hypnotic ability nearly broken from the surprising news. He knew Adrien was good in everything he did; despite not liking to be forced to live in his rigid lifestyle, he definitely didn't flake at anything. To learn he wasn't the best in his fencing class…

Song Bird smiled. This might actually work out in their favor. "Accept this as a gift," he murmured, holding the butterfly near the baton. It stepped onto the plastic, sinking into the surface. "And become the thing you wish to be…"

Esme's eyes widened.

" _Hello,_ " a smooth voice said into her head, compelling her to listen. " _It is a pleasure to meet you, Shinobi. I hear you desire a duel with the infamous Chat Noir. To transform into a form where you are more likely to meet him, click your baton once to activate and twice to deactivate the transformation._ "

Esme stared at the baton in her hand; it felt heavier than before, as if it was made of metal. Shifting her grip, she realized it had transformed into a real baton. A smile curled her lips involuntarily. "Thank you," she whispered.

Before she could activate the baton, Song Bird rested a hand over hers, rolling a little purple jewel between his fingers. "I believe this could help you out," he said casually, popping the stone into an indent in the middle; it fit perfectly as if it was meant to go there. "Perhaps, once you transform, it will give you some special abilities."

Esme nodded, her eyes only for the solid metal in her hand. She clicked the button below the stone.

Purple energy pulsed outwards, encompassing the girl. Song Bird took one fluid step back, out of the way from the pulsating energy field as it sank into her for the first time, conforming to her body like a second skin.

When it finally finished, a girl with black hair and dark eyes stared at Song Bird. It was drastically different than her light brown hair and chocolate eyes from before. A black cloth covers her jaw, disguising her facial features as the leather suit conforms to her body. Several shuriken and kunai were tucked into her waistband, not even glinting under the late afternoon sun. Her black gloves have textured tips that look as though they were meant to climb walls.

Esme flexed her fingers, curling them into a fist a few times. "I… don't feel that different," she whispered, a bit dazed. Had she just been akumatized, or was this something different?

"Nor should you," Song Bird said simply as if it made perfect sense. "After all, _Shinobi_ , you would like to simply duel Chat Noir and Ladybug, right? I'm sure if you hang out on the rooftops and enough people notice you, they will arrive eventually to meet you."

Esme - no, Shinobi contemplated this. Grinning like a little kid who just got a new toy, she clenched her baton in her hand tightly. "Yeah! You're right!" She eyed her gloved hand with a frown. "How long does this last?"

"Depends on what you do," Song Bird explained simply. "The more you use your abilities, the sooner you will be forced to transform back. The baton will be able to keep track of the time remaining." He waved his hand, turning to walk away. "Have fun."

"Wait - that's it?" Shinobi asked, stumped. She thought for sure there would be a catch.

Song Bird shrugged. "You want to fight someone powerful? Go fight someone powerful."

Shinobi pondered it for a few more seconds before heading in the opposite direction of Song Bird, thinking the Eiffel Tower would be a good place to start searching for her idol since that seemed to be a favorite hangout spot for the two heroes of the city.

* * *

Adrien scrambled for his bedroom door just as someone knocked gently on it. Flinging it open, he caught a glimpse of Marinette's surprised face before he pulled her inside his room, shutting the door quickly as he hugged her tightly. She squeaked, surprised from his sudden response to her showing up 'unannounced.'

That wasn't true, though. He had heard her walking down the hallway; a week of listening to footfalls down that echoing corridor helped him memorize people's cadences. So, even though she had been trying to sneak up to the door, he had still heard her trip on that one section on the carpet that seemed to be permanently folded up.

"A-Adrien?" Marinette asked, her voice a few octaves higher than normal. Plagg escaped her purse, floating over to the cheese already waiting for him on the computer desk. "Are you all right?"

"Mmmm…" Adrien took a deep breath, taking in her scent of caramel, vanilla, and pomegranate. However, a new scent invaded his nose, and he sniffed curiously. _Cookies_. "You've been baking again…"

She sighed, giving up. She handed him a bag of goodies. "I can't hide anything from you anymore, can I?"

He opened the bag and took a huge bite out of a cookie. "Of course you can," he said around the mouthful as he set the bag down on the coffee table in front of his couch.

Marinette shook her head, sitting down on the couch. He curled up next to her, his head on her leg as she absently ran her fingers through his hair. They had developed this habit last week when he had passed out on her leg the first time. They learned that his urges to be 'scratched' was pretty much daily, and the longer he went without one, the more he acted like a real cat. Whether as Marinette or Kitty Noir, she found herself taking care of him in a way she had never expected to.

It had been nearly twenty-four hours since the last time she had been over; even though he had come to terms with being part-feline now, he was still ashamed as to how much he enjoyed her running her fingers over his hair and back.

His purr rumbled through the couch and into her leg, making her chuckle as she scratched between his ears. "Say, kitty."

"Hmm?" he hummed, the sound being absorbed into the purr. Her fingers chased down his neck, tracing circles over his shoulders. He stretched, ending up sprawled over her lap.

She giggled at him. "We haven't gone on patrol in a while. What do you say? Should we figure out if anything has changed since the last time we had taken one?"

He butted his head against her stomach. Unlike the first time, she didn't flinch; instead, she scratched underneath his chin as the other hand ran through his hair and down his back. "After this…" he mumbled.

She sighed, exasperated, though he could hear the smile in her voice. "Fine. But this time, no - eek!"

Unable to resist any longer, he pounced on her, pushing her into the pillows on the couch. He nuzzled the bottom of her chin with his nose as her hands flailed behind him.

"A-Adrien!" she exclaimed breathlessly, her fingers finally gripping his shoulders and pushing him back - or, at least, trying to. "Stop! What if someone walks in?"

He pulled up, hovering above her. He blinked slowly, and he saw her melt underneath his gaze. "Oh… no fair…" she breathed, her hands sliding along his chest.

He lowered his face to hers, nuzzling her nose. "This is perfectly fair. You were teasing me all day long…"

She had been. Her hand linked with his, drawing small little circles on the back of his hand; the few seconds her fingers would trail down his leg underneath the table; the tiny tap underneath his chin she had given him when he had stolen a bite of her bread. It had slowly driven him mad. Sure, she may have thought it would have helped, but in reality, it only made it worse.

His lips met hers, and she finished melting into the couch.

* * *

 _A/N: Based off of a recommendation by Kitty Cheshire (who, by the way, should PM me so we can talk about those 'tips' you want me to give you), I will be answering questions and comments at the end of chapters now. Not really very many have popped up... but I want to give a huge shout-out to everyone who has read Forgotten Memories and is still sticking around: THANK YOU! I started this fanfic as just a fun little project for my beta reader and cover artist of my scifi/fantasy novel, so I never expected it to make such a big hit. I'm so happy all of you like it!_

 _I'll try to keep it going steady again now that NaNoWriMo is coming to a close. Yet again, I apologize for the sudden hiatus... Please forgive me. ;_; -Max_


	29. Conversations with Strangers

Obsession: Part Two

After fifteen more minutes of snuggles, kisses, and scratches, Adrien was finally able to think clearly enough to go on patrol with flaming cheeks. He apologized repeatedly to his partner, wishing he could go back and slap some sense into his deranged state.

"It's so embarrassing…" he moaned for the fifth time in just that day alone, his red-and-black suit standing out against the blue house they were perched on.

Marinette, in her Kitty Noir suit, raked her fingers through her untamed blonde hair. She had learned very quickly that she always needed to take her hair down before transforming, otherwise the transformation would break her pigtails. "Come _on_ , Chat. Get up already."

He moaned dejectedly. His 'old' name still sent a pang through him. "Don't call me that. _You're_ Kitty Noir now, and I'm Gentlebug."

She shook her head. "I know it's been a week, but it still just feels… wrong." Her head suddenly snapped towards the direction of the Eiffel Tower. "Someone's there."

Confused, Adrien examined the horizon. Sure enough, a lone figure dressed in black leather perched on the edge of a building two streets over. He squinted, trying to make out why the person looked so familiar.

That's when he noticed the face mask and ninja weapons.

"Someone's dressing up?" he mumbled, frowning slightly. The person was perched perilously on the very edge of the building, scouring the local area for something. _We should probably pull her back before she falls…_

However, Kitty's head slowly shook from side to side as she stared at the stranger. "She…"

Adrien had come to know that look. He glanced back at the stranger.

She was moving towards them.

As she drew closer, Adrien noticed that it wasn't just any costume on the girl's frame; it was as if it was molded to her skin, forming a protective layer between her and the elements. Weapons hung from her waist, not even glinting in the sunlight. Even though a cloth covered her face, they could still see the outline of her lips underneath.

She grinned at them.

Adrien stared, stunned. By Kitty's reaction, the ninja-girl was an akuma, but her smile and the look in her eyes was more like a fan who was about to ask for an autograph. Pulling out a baton, she launched herself over the roof much like how Kitty Noir's baton worked.

She landed in front of them with a soft _thump_. Glancing between them, her expression slowly fell as she examined them with increasing confusion. "Wait…" she mumbled, speaking out loud. "What _happened_ to you two?"

* * *

The two heroes exchanged shocked glances. Shinobi continued to stare, still stunned. It looked as if her two idols had literally switched everything; their powers, their suits, even their _hair color_. Focusing on the green-eyed boy, she said, "You used to be Chat Noir, right?"

"Yes…" the masked boy said warily.

"And you're Ladybug?" The blonde female in the feline suit didn't answer. "What do you call yourselves now?"

They remained silent. She scratched the top of her head, leaning against a chimney in the picture of relaxation. She could sense the wariness rolling off of them, and they looked ready to attack at a moment's notice. She had expected them to be wary, but… not like _this_.

"Well, this sucks," she muttered, staring over the city. "I guess I'll just go home…" She turned, preparing to leap back the way she had come from. If they weren't willing to talk, then there was no point for her to be there.

"Wait," the cat-girl said. Shinobi glanced over her shoulder hopefully, seeing uncertainty flicker over her face. "You don't… want to attack us? Who are you?"

Leaning back against the chimney, she crossed her arms and winked at the dark-haired boy. "Nope! I'm just bored with all the competition in Paris. I wanted to duel someone on my own level, and Song Bird even went out of his way to help me…"

She patted her baton absently, fingering the metal. "But Chat Noir isn't Chat Noir anymore." She eyed the boy, frowning slightly. Why did he look slightly familiar? "What do you go by now?"

The green-eyed boy straightened up, releasing his death grip on the yo-yo to swing it deftly in a circle. "Gentlebug," he said easily, glancing at the girl. "And that's Kitty Noir. You… wanted to duel me?"

Shinobi nodded quickly. "Yeah! Your fighting style is just so cool. I've always admired you, a-and - " She blushes, twirling her fingers. "I'm Shinobi - y-your number one fan."

* * *

Marinette was stumped. Shinobi was akumatized - but she wasn't giving off any of the tendencies or traits that akumatized victims usually had. _Hawkmoth must be doing something different again_ , she realized, unsettled by this thought.

"Who… is Song Bird?" she asked, still holding her baton in preparation for an attack.

Shinobi's eyes widened. "Wait, you don't know who Song Bird is?" At their lack of a response, her mouth fell open. "He's… uh… he has this blue and orange outfit with peacock feathers on it. Really hard to miss if you do see him."

Marinette recognized the description; almost a week ago, they had ran across the tabby who happened to be a man that was transformed into a feline; he had told them of seeing a man of a similar description. They had also found a peacock feather lodged into the wall nearby.

Shinobi rubbed the back of her neck. "I-if you don't want to duel, I'll just leave…"

"Wait." Gentlebug stepped forward, his back straight. "Just a duel, correct? No bloodshed? You don't want to take our Miraculous?"

Shinobi grinned, her cheeks above the mask turning a little pink. "Yeah! Just for fun. I won't be using these." She pats the shuriken and kunai at her hips. "Sound good?"

Gentlebug nodded. Alarm bells went off in Marinette's head, and she stepped forward. "Cha - Gentlebug, I don't think that's a good idea."

He smiled at her. "It'll be fine, Kitty."

Her heart fluttered at the nickname she had always called him. She almost missed the left hook Shinobi threw; Gentlebug reeled back, caught off guard by her speed.

She definitely wasn't wearing that suit just for show.

Marinette leaped between them, stopping Shinobi's next attack with her baton. "Stop it right now!" she ordered, her voice shaking slightly. What if Shinobi noticed Gentlebug's eyes weren't exactly human despite being in the suit, or that he reacted too fast for a normal human? Gentlebug didn't have his contacts in when he was transformed; he said it felt weird with the suit.

However, Shinobi seemed to have already noticed. Eyes wide, she backed up a few paces as she lowered her hands. "Whoa… your eyes are still the same?"

Gentlebug's hands gripped his baton. "None of your business," he snarled, and it came out more animalistic than intended.

Shinobi's eyes narrowed. "You still have your abilities as Chat Noir, don't you?" She beams at him. "Which means you're still Chat Noir!"

Gentlebug glanced at Marinette, and only she saw the pinpoint of hope in his eyes. _He really misses being Chat Noir_ , she thought gloomily.

"Or are you?" Shinobi flipped the topic around. "I mean, you moved pretty fast just now, but your reflexes were still delayed. Are you sure you used to be Chat Noir?"

Gentlebug pushed Marinette to the side, his eyes only on Shinobi. She grabbed his arm, desperate. "Gentlebug, don't! She's trying to get you to fight her!"

"I know." The yo-yo spun fast enough that it created a black-and-red circle in the air. "My abilities aren't going anywhere, Shinobi. They're staying the same regardless of if I'm in the suit or out of it."

Shinobi's grin grew even wider. "Let's have some fun, then," she whispered - and disappeared.

* * *

 _She's fast_ , Adrien thought, completely unable to avoid the uppercut. Shinobi's fist clipped his jaw, and he winced as his head jerked painfully. He whipped the yo-yo out in an attempt to tangle the ninja girl, but she nimbly leaped out of the way.

Shinobi stared at her hand as if it had committed an evil deed. "Kitty, are you all right? I didn't hurt you, did I?" she asked desperately, crouched on the roof edge.

Kitty Noir stepped between him and Shinobi. "Don't get near him again," she snapped, gripping the baton tightly.

Shinobi stuck her tongue out at Kitty Noir. "You're only jealous because he's not paying attention to you right now."

Kitty scoffed. "As if. I - "

Suddenly, Shinobi was beside Adrien. She twirled a strand of her long black hair around her finger, fluttering her long lashes while gazing at him with dark grey irises. "If you ever want to be with me, instead, I'll make sure to take good care of you."

Kitty Noir's baton passed through the air where Shinobi had been a split second before. Adrien felt a light pressure on his cheek; his eyes widened in surprise as Shinobi skipped across the rooftop, laughing as Kitty Noir swung wildly in a fit of anger.

"Bye-bye, my kitty!" Shinobi singsonged, wiggling her fingers at him and vanishing.

Kitty Noir fumed at the edge of the roof, scouring the rooftops for the ninja. Adrien rested his hand on her shoulder. "Mi'lady - "

"She-she _kissed_ _you_!" she screamed breathlessly, causing it to come out in barely a whisper. "You're my boyfriend, and she - "

He hugged her tightly, nuzzling her hair. "Your kisses are the only ones that matter to me," he murmured, kissing her cheeks, nose, and lips until she began giggling.

She pushed him away, but a big grin was stretched across her face. "Naughty kitty," she teased him, but he only smiled lopsidedly at her, not losing an ounce of his charming, playful nature.

* * *

"Hmm."

Song Bird swung his feet in the air, watching the two Miraculous wielders from his perch several buildings away. He fanned himself with his feathered fan, narrowing his eyes.

"They seem to be close… maybe I could use that to my advantage." Standing up, he snapped his fan closed. Glancing at the street below him, he saw a brown-haired girl with glasses holding up her phone, either filming or taking a picture of him. He recognized her from Adrien's school; wasn't her name… Ella or something?

He floated to the ground, watching her back up nervously. However, she didn't cower or run. _How interesting_ , he thought, his curiosity piqued.

Song Bird smiled with ease, not blinking his kaleidoscope eyes even once. "Might I know the name of the one who is filming me?"

"Alya," she said firmly, her voice barely trembling. Used to random encounters with people in masks, perhaps? "And who are you?"

He gave her a flamboyant bow, his lip quirking up on one side as his bangles jangled softly. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Alya. I am Song Bird. Might you be a journalist?"

"Y-yes," she answered, warily taking a step back.

"Good." He winked at the camera. "I'm a bit new in town, so forgive me on my ignorance of what has been happening."

At this, Alya lowered her phone. "Wait… you're not from here?" He shook his head. She stared at him, stunned. "So… you don't know who Hawkmoth is or what Ladybug and Chat Noir have done for the city?"

He paused. Based off her wording - what they have done _for_ the city - he had been misinformed on his targets' impact on the surrounding area. Perhaps they were actually _helping_ it? Regardless, this was a golden opportunity to find out about it.

"No, I haven't. Care to explain?" he requested, blinking to break the potential hypnotic effect on her. The feathers around his legs ruffled, emitting a calming scent. He wanted to gain her trust.

Alya seemed to be slightly resistant; it took several moments for her shoulders to relax. "Ladybug and Chat Noir are the heroes of Paris; they've been fighting Hawkmoth for two years now, purifying the akumas and fixing the damage brought on by them." She stared at him curiously. "Are you here to help them? They seem to be having some trouble recently with the akuma and - "

"Alya! Get away from him!"

* * *

 _A/N: Hope you enjoyed the second part of Obsession Episode! I actually just finished writing the last scene of my second novel, Ecalain. It feels so liberating knowing that I am finally done writing the first draft of the sequel to my published book, Danarko. For those of you who have expressed direct interest in my book (This is especially for you, drydeskgum): Go to Facebook and type in DanarkoBook in the search bar. If you'd like to follow me on social media, look at my user profile page for my social links._

 _Mayuralover, you are the second person to ask if Adrien will return back to normal. The answer: **Yes**. Eventually. But not right now. There's some things that need to happen first. All will become clear in due time..._


	30. Suspicion

Obsession: Part Three

Marinette's heart lodged in her throat when, preparing to head home, she peeked over the edge of the building and saw Alya talking to a masked boy clad in jewel-blue feathers. Hissing reflexively, she leapt from the building, Gentlebug following behind her.

"Alya! Get away from him!"

The reporter-girl turned around quizzically, but as soon as she saw Kitty Noir, her eyes widened. "Wha - "

Marinette landed on all-fours next to Alya. Vaulting forward, she pulled her best friend behind her just as Gentlebug skidded to a halt beside the gaping high-schooler.

"What - how - " Alya stammered, glancing back and forth between Kitty Noir and Gentlebug. Marinette shook her head, knowing her best friend would be _very_ confused until they sat down with her and explained what had happened last week.

The boy in front of them didn't flinch at their arrival. His kaleidoscope eyes were crinkled in amusement, and his lips were lifted in a barely-restrained laugh. "Oh, my," he said, his voice tinkling almost as if he was singing softly. "If I didn't know better, I would have thought you came to greet me yourselves."

"Who are you?" Gentlebug demanded, holding the yo-yo by the string and the string compartment - the closest he could imitate the position with his baton.

"Song Bird." He gave them an elaborate bow, his bangles clinking against one another. For a moment, Marinette worried that they were part of his ability - but then she saw his feathers vibrating slightly as they exuded a faint mist. "And you?"

"Stop doing that," Marinette snapped, staring directly at his 'plume' - there was no other word for it.

Song Bird looked surprised. Glancing at the edge of the plume, he murmured, "It is merely something to help calm everyone down. It is not harmful…"

Sure enough, she felt herself wanting to relax. Instead, she clenched the baton in a death grip. "Stop it. Now."

Song Bird sighed. "As you wish." Within seconds, the plume stopped moving. "Who are you?"

Alya was still speechless as she glanced between them. For once, Marinette was glad. "I'm Kitty Noir, and that is Gentlebug," she introduced this time, not easing out of her defensive posture. "Why are you here, Song Bird?"

Song Bird shrugged. "Oh, no particular reason. Happened to be in the area and noticed this young lady pointing a camera at me…"

Marinette gave her best friend an exasperated look. She ignored Song Bird's mildly evasive answer in lieu of another question. "Are you working for Hawkmoth?"

Song Bird raised his eyebrows delicately. That was the best word for it. " _For_ Hawkmoth? Please. He's such an amateur."

At this, Marinette dipped into a crouch while Gentlebug began spinning his yo-yo.

Song Bird's eyes widened and he threw his hands up in a placating move. "Easy there, those could hurt someone!" he exclaimed, his fan hanging off of his thumb by a ring on the end. "Geez, what did the old geezer do?"

"So you _do_ know Hawkmoth." Alya had finally found her voice. Marinette groaned inwardly.

Song Bird rolled his eyes. "Sure. If you call it that." He slowly lowered his hands. "Listen, I don't exactly know what had happened - "

"You did something to the girl transforming people into cats," Marinette interrupted him, "and helped Shinobi get her suit, which is clearly influenced by Hawkmoth. If you don't start explaining now, then this might go downhill. Fast."

Song Bird sighed, crossing his arms. "A girl who turned people into cats… ah!" He reached into his shirt, pulling out a feather. The center of the black-ringed reddish-orange oval had a dot of purple - the same purple as Hawkmoth's power. "Do you mean that purple butterfly? Here it is."

They stared at it, stunned. "No way," Marinette breathed, nearly dropping her baton. Unlike the others, she could _see_ the power radiating off of it like sick waves that warped the air around it. It was like Switch, only stronger. A _lot_ stronger.

Song Bird examined Marinette's expression with obvious interest. "I don't really see what you would need this power for, though. It's just in its raw form like this; quite potent, in fact. I'm not sure what I'll do with it yet."

"Give it to us," Gentlebug urged calmly, no longer swinging his yo-yo. He held out his hand. "We can purify it."

Song Bird blinked, frowning slightly. "Purify… it?" His lips part in revelation. "Oh, you mean get rid of the negative energy! That would be nice and all, but even then, the energy is still trapped inside my feather. The only way to get it out would be to inject it into someone."

A chill ran through Marinette. "And who do you plan to do that to?" she asked quietly, afraid of the answer.

Song Bird shrugged. "No one, really. I see no point in corrupting someone's very essence." He tucked the feather back into his shirt. "As for Shinobi, I decided to give her a little butterfly I found lying around. Don't worry; that one was… what would you call it… a pure one. No corruption."

Marinette was stunned. Shinobi was akumatized by a purified butterfly? Was that even possible?

"Why did you do that?" Gentlebug blurted, just as stunned as Marinette.

Song Bird shrugged again. "I knew of the butterfly's powers to bring out the hidden side of people - whether good or bad was up to the user. I just happened to decide to give away the butterfly I found instead of keeping it for myself since the girl seemed to need it more than me."

They remained silent. Song Bird glanced between them, waiting for a response. When they didn't say anything, he tilted his head toward them in respect. "It was a pleasure speaking with you and learning of this Hawkmoth, but I must depart. Perhaps our paths will cross again in the future."

He leaped into the air, literally _flying_ away.

Marinette took a deep breath, finally relaxing. The baton retracted in her hand.

"Oh, my gosh," Alya breathed, her eyes flicking between her and Gentlebug. "What _happened_?"

They exchanged looks. "Well, uh…" Marinette stammered, unsure what exactly to say.

"It might be best to sit down for this," Gentlebug suggested, winking like he used to. "Also, we would prefer for this _not_ to be spilled all over the Ladyblog without our purr-mission."

* * *

Zamir rubbed his face, Iraami happily munching on blueberries at the desk. The Persian model had a _lot_ to think about, and most of it had to do with Hawkmoth and the two Miraculous wielders in Paris - no, the two _heroes_ of Paris.

How was he supposed to know that Hawkmoth was the evil one?

Iraami wanted him to go along with Hawkmoth until Plagg was taken out of the picture. However, he didn't know if he could hurt the girl with the bluebell eyes - the same color as Marinette's eyes.

He collapsed on the couch in his room, smacking the pillow over his face. Iraami floated over, his cheeks crammed full of blueberries. "Wha'sh wrong?" he slurred, chewing.

"Nothing," came his muffled reply.

Maybe… maybe he _could_ be her friend. At least if he was around her, he could make sure Hawkmoth never hurt her. He had done his homework; finding the Ladyblog - written by the one and only Alya he had met earlier as Song Bird - was pure coincidence, but a grateful one. Through it, he had found out about everything Hawkmoth had ever done and how the two superheroes had defeated him at every turn.

Someone knocked on the door to his room. He frowned as Iraami disappeared, hiding. He went to the door and cracked it open.

Marinette gave him a little wave, looking embarrassed. "Hi."

His breathing hitched. Why was she here? "Hello."

Marinette chewed on her lip self-consciously. "Um… can I get your help?"

"Anything," popped out of his mouth instantly as he opened the door the rest of the way. "What do you need?"

"Adrien kind of… fell asleep on the floor…"

He blinked, uncomprehending. "What?"

Marinette shuffled her feet, inching back to the room. "Just… come on."

He followed her. "What happened?"

"Well…" She twirled a finger through her blonde pigtails. "We-we were on the couch when he suddenly rolled off and landed on the floor, then went to sleep… I tried to wake him up, but he seemed so exhausted."

Zamir frowned. "Does he do this often?"

She immediately shook her head as she opened Adrien's bedroom door. "I don't think so."

Sure enough, Adrien was on the floor, fast asleep. Sighing, Zamir picked him up none-too-gently - if he woke up during the process, it would only make it easier on him - and carried him to his bed where Marinette had already pulled back the covers.

"You're a wonderful girlfriend," Zamir murmured. "And this one is a big oaf."

"Oh, please don't give him a hard time," Marinette said, pushing Adrien's hair out of his face as she smiled warmly. "He seemed really tired after today."

Zamir sat down on the couch, noticing a little smudge on the floor near the window. He frowned slightly, but was quickly distracted when Marinette flopped down beside him and exhaled. "Phew… sometimes, I don't know how he does it."

"Does what?" he asked, watching her with his peripheral. That dark smudge looked suspiciously like the dirt off of the nearby rooftop that he had passed over…

Marinette shifted forward, propping her elbows on her knees as she rested her head in her hands. His eyes finally drifted to her, watching her as she mulled over whatever was in her head. "Just… everything. He seemed to always be criticized by his father and barely got any time to himself before you came along. I… don't think I could live like that."

Zamir draped an arm across the back of the couch, his smile gentle. "You know, I think you're helping him deal with it. He can relax around you." He met her gaze, watching her cheeks turn a bright pink. "I'll admit; even I feel pretty relaxed around you. Why is that?"

The soft-spoken question was rhetorical, although Zamir burned for an answer. Why was it that the more this girl talked, the more he wanted to listen? What about her drew him closer?

The soft mewl from behind them sounded deafening.

Glancing around the room, Zamir didn't see a cat. He frowned slightly. "What - "

"Adrien!" Marinette exclaimed, leaping to her feet and racing to the edge of the bed. "Adrien," she cooed, pushing his hair to the side, "are you feeling any better?"

He said something too low for Zamir to hear, but Marinette giggled. Glancing over, Zamir smirked at the couple, but he froze when he saw Adrien's hair sticking up like ears.

Cat ears.

Marinette's hand smoothed down Adrien's hair, flattening the 'ears.' With a start, Zamir realized it had just been his hair sticking up to look like that. Regardless, a chill raced down Zamir's spine. He hadn't liked cats even before Iraami. He saw any reference to them in his life as an omen to disaster and chaos.

"I'll… leave you two alone," Zamir said hastily, moving towards the door.

As he walked down the hallway, he felt fingers brush his elbow. Startled, he stopped and turned to face Marinette. Her face was a bright red now. "I-I'm sorry," she mumbled, not looking at him. "A-A-Adrien is v-very affectionate, a-and I'm okay with th-that, but I-I didn't mean to m-make you feel uncomfortable…"

Zamir chuckled, finding her stuttering absolutely adorable. "It's fine. It is good that you are affectionate with one another; it means both of you care." He tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Stay safe on your way home, Marinette. I will see you tomorrow."

He turned away quickly, walking towards his room. He didn't notice her touch her hair lightly before she returned to her room.

Shutting his door behind himself, he rubbed his hand over his jaw again in an attempt to wipe his mind of Marinette. Everything she had said about Adrien was still running through his mind; how could she be so selfless and still be so strong? He wanted to know more about her. He wanted to spend time with her.

But she was Adrien's girlfriend.

"Any chance you could hypnotize me into not thinking about Marinette?" Zamir asked Iraami, already knowing the answer but unable to help asking it for the second time in his life.

Iraami waggled an eyebrow at him as he floated out of the jacket. "Oooh, interested in your bestie's girlfriend? That'll create a lot of drama."

"Shut up," Zamir growled, though Iraami was right. If he pursued Marinette in any way outside of friendship, it would most definitely cause drama. Sure, Iraami loved drama to a fault - especially when he was the center of it - but Zamir did _not_ share that with the little kwami.

He collapsed on the couch, draping an arm over his eyes. Adrien truly was happy with Marinette, and Marinette really did seem to like him. He didn't want to destroy that happiness.

His thoughts switched to the other pair of bluebell eyes he had seen that day. Staring up at the ceiling, he asked his kwami, "Does Plagg usually pick females as his wielder?"

Iraami shook his head. "Don't you remember what Hawkmoth had said? He had switched them."

He frowned. "So… Gentlebug used to be Chat Noir…" he mumbled, remembering the blog from earlier, "and Kitty Noir used to be… Ladybug…"

His eyes widened as he realized exactly _what_ Hawkmoth had done. By switching even their hair color, he would be able to more easily identify them in real life. He thought back to Gentlebug and how he had dark, blue-black hair. It looked almost like Adrien's…

Snorting, Zamir shook his head. Ridiculous; Adrien's hair was a mess. Not only that, but he had that funky little twist in his hair lifting it up like a cat's ears. Despite his desire to have more freedom, Adrien would never disobey his father; it seemed to be a flaw of the perfect son of the French designer.

As for Marinette, sure - she had the same color of hair as Kitty Noir - but her hair was always in pigtails and didn't look nearly as wild as the Miraculous wielder. To top it off, little Marinette stammered and was soft-spoken while Kitty Noir had this confidence and grace about her that Zamir had seen from a distance.

"Ridiculous," he muttered out loud. "They're four different people."

Iraami gave him a curious look but turned back to his blueberries once he realized his wielder wasn't talking to him.


	31. The Aspiring Journalist

_A/N: So sorry yet again for the delayed response! I had a fair yesterday where I was selling my books, and I've been busy all week with ordering more of Danarko as well as managing orders. People are reading my book and wanting to buy another copy for their friends/family... Which is great, because I love that my book is getting out there, but sometimes I get so caught up in all the financing! Haha!_

 _What do you think of this idea: the first 2-3 chapters of Danarko on ? Let me know in the reviews... If I get enough requests, I'll post the chapters. :)_

 _Here's Part 4. Hope you enjoy! Things are about to get interesting..._

* * *

Obsession: Part Four

Marinette yawned as she entered the class, not late for once. Zamir and Adrien were already sitting at the table; seeing her enter, Zamir scooted to the edge of the bench and patted the space between him and Adrien. "Good morning, Marinette," he said cheerfully. "Want to sit here?"

She paused, slowly registering her situation. The two most popular guys in the school were _sitting beside her_ , and one of them was her _boyfriend_. She glanced around the room, finally noticing Chloe and Sabrina sitting at the desk next to the models. They were both openly glaring at her.

Marinette fidgeted by the door, seriously contemplating faking a stomach ache and going to the nurse's office. Zamir noticed her hesitate and glanced in the direction of her gaze. His expression darkened for a brief moment; she didn't even notice it.

"Hey, Chloe," Zamir sing-songed, propping his elbow on the table and leaning towards the pretty blonde girl. He rested his head in his hand, lounging forward with a small smirk on his face. "Didn't you used to have a crush on me when we were younger? Want to rekindle those feelings?"

Chloe's face turned bright red. "I-I did not!"

His gaze turned smoldering. "Come on, Chloe. We would make _beautiful_ children."

Sabrina tugged Chloe to her feet, dragging the flustered girl out of the room while glaring at Zamir. "Let's go, Chloe. Don't listen to him."

"Wha… I… Adrien…" she muttered incoherently, trembling slightly as she actually looked _torn_.

Marinette stared, stunned, as Sabrina guided the bully out of the room. She glanced at Zamir who had now turned that gaze onto her.

She swallowed her heart. He was _gorgeous_ with that expression. Seduction incarnate. He smiled slightly, his lips parting.

Marinette tore her gaze from him, focusing on her boyfriend. She laughed nervously. "We-well, that was interesting," she said shakily, sitting beside Adrien on the end of the bench. He scooted closer to the middle, giving her some room.

"I knew she would react badly to it, but I never thought…" he trailed off, turning to Zamir. "I hope she doesn't do anything stupid after what you said, Zamir. Chloe is very different from the last time you saw her; she has a mean streak now."

Marinette pulled out her books and put them on the desk, cautiously sparing a glance at the Persian model. He looked bored; there was no trace of that heated look he had given her.

"That's an understatement. Chloe is downright evil," Marinette commented. She glanced at the vacant seat beside Nino. "Where's Alya?" she asked, feeling sorry that Adrien's best friend seemed to have been left out of the group conversation.

He shrugged. "She said something about the Ladyblog when I texted her this morning."

Alya raced into the room just then. Her eyes zeroed in on Marinette and Adrien. "You two won't _believe_ what happened to me yesterday!" she exclaimed loudly, plopping into her seat next to Nino. "Chat Noir and Ladybug seemed to have _switched_ , and - " She blinked, glancing between them. Her eyes narrowed. "Come to think of it…"

Marinette put on her best innocent face. "What is it, Alya?" _Don't say it here, please don't say it here!_ If anyone figured out their secret identities, she and Adrien had a running bet it would be either Alya or Nino first.

However, ever since their hair had changed colors, Marinette had changed the bet; how soon Alya would figure it out the next time she saw them in their Miraculous suits. If she blurted it within the next hour, Adrien would win the bet (he had betted within twelve hours of meeting them).

"... Nothing." Alya shook her head and shoved her phone at Marinette. "Check _this_ out, though. I haven't posted it, but…" she leaned towards them conspiratorially. "It looks like there's another person in a suit out there!"

Marinette examined the picture, very interested - and not just because she was faking it. She hadn't had time to really examine Song Bird. Now, though, she had a very clear picture of him right in front of her.

She took Alya's phone, showing it to Adrien. "Who is he?" she asked, glancing up at her best friend in concern. "He didn't hurt you, did he?"

Alya quickly shook her head. "No, he was really nice to me! It was quite surprising. I thought for sure he'd use one of those weird akuma attacks on me, but Lady - " She gasped. "Oh! That's the other thing!"

She snatched her phone back, pulling up a picture and shoving it in Adrien's and Marinette's faces. "Look at this!" she squealed. "They let me take their picture and write the update on them! Everyone's been so worried, but apparently, they were recovering from one of Hawkmoth's attacks that _switched their powers_! So cool!"

Adrien and Marinette leaned over the photo. Alya was good as always; she had captured the very perfect pose of the two super-heroes. Kitty Noir stared straight into the camera, looking confident and even a bit sassy as she held her baton ready. Gentlebug was giving her a sideways look, a small smile gracing his fine features as he held his yo-yo loosely.

"But that isn't it!" she whispered, reaching forward and zooming in on Gentlebug's face.

For a moment, Marinette worried that she had captured Gentlebug's slit cat eyes, but she realized that they were dilated enough to look human. Quizzical, she looked at her best friend. "What is it?"

"Don't you see how he's looking at Lady - Kitty Noir?" Alya corrected herself, grinning like a fool. "It's _so_ obvious now. He loves her!"

Adrien examined the photo with an analytical expression. Marinette would have to congratulate him on keeping such a straight face in light of his obvious affection towards her being revealed by someone else. "Maybe he does."

Marinette's breathing stopped at this. Alya noticed and quickly glanced between her and Adrien as if reading their expressions. "You okay, Marinette?"

She quickly nodded, though the motion made her look like a bobblehead. "It's just… if he really did love her, it'd be so sweet and perfect!" Marinette squeaked, blushing slightly. "Th-they seem to-to together very well work… I mean, work well very together…"

Alya sniggered as if she knew a secret. She opened her mouth, a question burning in her eyes.

"Everyone, sit down," the teacher said as she walked into the room. "Alya, put away your phone or I will confiscate it again."

Marinette was _very_ glad for the interruption. Turning around, she collapsed into her seat, staring blankly at the whiteboard as the teacher began lecturing them on the most famous French literary works.

She felt a hand wrap around hers underneath the table, squeezing her fingers gently. She spared a glance at Adrien to see his cheeks slightly reddened, but his eyes were also dilated - just like in the picture.

Leaning slightly closer, she breathed, "You have that same look that you had before."

"Mmm." Only she heard the very faint rumbling purr underneath his grunt - most likely because she had heard it so many times before. He swallowed hard, trying to hold back the sound. "Miss Twenty-Questions might attack us later."

"I don't care. Do-do you really…?"

Zamir cleared his throat. It wasn't obvious, but it made both of them snap back to the present to realize they had scooted closer to one another in the breadth of a few seconds. They would have to thank him later for the save; if the teacher had caught them that close, Marinette would have been told to move. Blushing, Marinette scooted away a little bit, but Adrien wouldn't let go of her hand.

They both heard the breathless squeal behind them as Alya caught sight of their joined hands.

After school let out, Alya yanked Marinette into an empty room as soon as the poor girl was alone. Glancing around outside, Alya slammed the door shut, mumbling, "Adrien's at fencing and Zamir is doing his thing… Marinette."

"Ye-yes?" Curse it all. She was stammering again.

"Are you Ladybug - Kitty Noir?"

Marinette laughed, trying to pass it off - but her laugh sounded so fake. "Wh-what made you think that?"

"Come on, girl." Alya ticked off the reasons on her fingers. "You always disappeared whenever Ladybug showed up, and despite that, you always knew what had happened in that akuma attack. You've never been akumatized. Your hair color changed about the same time as Kitty Noir's. You've always known my name - even from the first time you appeared as Ladybug. You…" she trailed off, her eyes widening. "Did you speak to me as Ladybug because you _knew_ me?"

Marinette cringed. "We-well, I didn't feel comfortable talking to anyone else… At least I knew _you_ …"

Alya was torn. Her best friend had chosen to speak to her because they knew each other and not because she had gotten lucky. Marinette had kept this secret out of necessity; after all, if everyone knew, her friends and family would be in danger. _Alya_ would have been in danger. However, did she really think that Alya couldn't keep a secret? She knew how important it was for a superhero to keep their identity a secret.

Realization slammed into the aspiring journalist. "You… thought I would tell everyone your real identity, didn't you?" she whispered, shocked.

Marinette winced, proving her suspicion. "Alya, I - "

"No, I get it." Alya took a deep breath. "After all, I _did_ say I would 'find out who is behind the mask!'" She pumped her fist in mock-excitement. Her hand fell limply to her side. "I'm sorry, Marinette. I… wasn't thinking back then."

Marinette smiled sadly. "I know. Now, you just follow us around, getting yourself in danger." Alya flinched at the sarcasm. Marinette stepped forward, patting her best friend on the shoulder. "I know you don't care as much who is behind the mask anymore, but Alya… you _have_ to promise me that you won't ever tell anyone. Not even Nino."

She stared into her friend's bluebell eyes. "I promise," she said firmly. She _saw_ the tension leave the blonde girl as she slumped in relief. "But _you_ have to tell me what the heck is up with you, Adrien, and Chat - Gentlebug!"

"Not now," Marinette waved her off. "We'll all talk about it later. More importantly, Alya, you need to stay away from Song Bird."

"But why?" she asked, confused.

"He did something to the last akumatized victim," Marinette said grimly as she took down her hair, allowing her golden strands fall in a curtain around her head. It went a little ways past her shoulders. "He has his own powers, and we don't know what they are. I just want to make sure you won't rush headfirst into this one and get yourself in danger. Promise me, Alya!"

Alya stared at her best friend in shock as she saw the look she now realized was also in Ladybug's eyes: determination, firmness, and a fierce fiery protection. _How had I not seen it before?_ she thought, stunned as she nodded mutely.

Marinette nodded, yanking open the door - and nearly ran smack into a stunned Nino. He stared at Marinette with wide eyes. "Wha - dude, you're - "

Marinette huffed, rolling her eyes. She didn't have _time_ for this. Grabbing Nino's hand, she pulled him into the room and shut the door, preparing to launch into another explanation.

* * *

 _A/N: Again, thank you for the awesome reviews! You guys are fantastic. Please leave more reviews if you really like it. Follow my FB page, too; just go to my profile to find a link to it. Thank you!_


	32. Misconstrued Assumptions

_A/N: I am beginning to believe I will only be able to update this once a week! . Life has decided to take over. Just in the next 7 days, I have a meeting, a bazaar I am a vendor at, several books and packages I need to prep so I can send them out to their recipients, and a bit more... on top of work!_

 _I will try to at least be regular with updates... So... weekends! Maybe. We'll see how this goes with Christmas coming up and all._

* * *

Obsession: Part Five

Esme exhaled slowly, lowering her fencing weapon to grasp Adrien's hand and pull him to his feet. "You feeling better today?" she asked.

Adrien responded with a blinding grin. "Yeah! Though you still beat me."

Esme patted Adrien on the back. "You're almost there, though. If the thrust wasn't as obvious, you would have gotten me right here!" She jabbed her thumb against her torso over her heart. She grinned. "Want to go another round?"

Adrien glanced over Esme's shoulder, noticing Zamir lounging against the wall with his eyes closed. "Nah, man. My new shadow is here to pick me up." His face twisted up in a disgruntled expression.

Esme laughed as they paused near the locker room. "Hey, it can't be too bad, can it? After all, at least you get to leave the house."

Adrien sighed heavily. "Yeah, I guess that's true." He ran his hand through his hair, trying to keep those pesky strands from poking up in that overly-recognizable shape. He went to the boy's side of the locker room, but Esme didn't move. "You coming?"

Esme grinned. "Yeah! Just have something to do first. I'll see you tomorrow."

"See ya…" He left the fencer alone, quickly changing and walking up to Zamir. "Hey, shadow. Ready to head out?"

Zamir grunted, trying to hide his distraction as he pushed off of the wall.

Adrien frowned. "Everything okay?"

Zamir nodded. "Yeah. Just a lot on my mind. I was given a semi-long-term job a week ago, but I just got some new info on it last night. Not sure if I want to continue it…"

Adrien frowned. Was this what Zamir was doing whenever he split off from Adrien? "Did your dad set you up with it?"

Zamir shrugged. "You could say that, though I always had a choice of backing out of this one. I decided to go with it because I thought it would be interesting and would kill time, but it's turning out to be more… serious… than expected."

"And you don't want to be wrapped up in something major since you're only going to be here until the end of winter," Adrien finished, understanding his friend's thought process. "I can understand that."

Zamir gave him a tight smile. "Yeah, you could say that." His eyes widened as he stared over a point on Adrien's shoulder. "Watch out!"

Zamir tugged Adrien to the side; if it wasn't for Adrien's cat-like abilities, he would have ended up sprawled on the ground. Instead, he was left gaping at a baton lodged in the ground just in front of where he had been standing. Based off the projection of it, it would have just grazed his shoulder.

Glancing back, he saw Shinobi standing in front of the school, smirking at him. "Hello, Adrien Agreste."

 _No, no, no!_ he wailed in his mind. _This can't be happening. Not_ now _!_

He glanced around, looking for cover. "Come on!" he urged Zamir, tugging him into the small space where the stairs descended from a side-entrance. "We should wait here and - "

"Hmm? Playing hide-and-seek now?" Shinobi reached down and pulled Adrien up by his shoulders, surprising the two models with her strength. "Come on, Adrien. I just want - "

Metal zipped by, clipping Shinobi's arm. She hissed, releasing Adrien. He quickly rolled out of the way, seeing Kitty Noir retracting her baton just as Shinobi turned around. Glancing up, Adrien saw a window on the third floor was open. Nino and Alya stared down, both open-mouthed.

 _Guess the secret is out, then_ , he thought. _I hope that had gone well_.

Zamir grabbed Adrien's hand. "Let's try to slip by before they notice us," he whispered, heading to the side-entrance of the building.

Something crashed into Adrien. He tumbled with the black blur, crashing into the wall. His breath whooshed out from the impact.

"Adrien… are you okay?" a familiar voice rasped from behind him.

With a start, he realized it was Kitty Noir. She gave him a tight-lipped smile, trying to hide her pain. He clambered off of her, quickly helping her to her feet. "Yeah, I'm fine. Are _you_ okay?"

She nodded, focusing on Shinobi. Her bluebell eyes narrowed. "Go. Find a safe place to hide."

That was his cue to find an abandoned room and transform. He turned and ran into the building, Zamir close on his heels. _I forgot about him,_ he thought guiltily as they climbed the stairs to the third floor.

"Zamir, in here," Adrien called out, opening a classroom door. Nino and Alya whirled around as they barged in. "I'll be right back. I'm going to make sure everyone else is okay."

"Wait, Adrien - " Zamir started, stepping forward.

Nino was the one who stopped him. "It's okay, dude. Adrien does this a lot; it's just a part of him."

Behind them, Alya gave him a silent thumbs-up and a wink. Adrien sighed inwardly; yup, they both knew. Darting from the room, he sprinted down the hallway and made sure no one was there to witness him before glancing inside his inner pocket. "Tikki?"

A little red head poked out, determined. "Let's hurry and help Marinette!"

"Spots on!"

* * *

Kitty Noir huffed, gritting her teeth. Shinobi bounced on her feet, grinning wildly. She felt so _energized_. "Come now, kitten," she crooned, smirking. "Don't tell me you're giving up?"

"Never," she gasped, straightening up and raising her baton.

Shinobi tsked at her posture. "Kitty, you're holding it all wrong." With a deft flick of her wrist, Shinobi sent her baton soaring towards Kitty Noir, knocking the baton out of her hands. Darting in close, she pinned Kitty against the wall. Being this close, she could now smell the exciting mixture of caramel and pomegranate with leather and metal. "You know, you smell absolutely edible."

A low growl sounded from Shinobi's left. Glancing over, her eyes widened at the look in Gentlebug's eyes. The boy was _snarling_ at her, looking enraged as he spun the yo-yo so fast it nearly disappeared altogether.

It whipped out, striking Shinobi square in the shoulder. Wincing, her grip slackened on Kitty Noir; the heroine twisted out of her grip enough to kneel down and grasp her weapon.

Shinobi reeled back, staring at Gentlebug. His eyes were slit like a cat's, the green bleeding over into the white as he lowered into a half-crouch. His black hair, which had been slicked down, rose in the distinct form of cat ears, giving him the odd look of a red-and-black cat with a yo-yo.

"You… never lost your abilities," Shinobi choked, her own dark eyes wide in shock. "But… h-how?"

Gentlebug lunged forward, executing a series of punches and kicks that were faster than any previous attacks he had ever done as Chat Noir. In his blind rage at seeing Shinobi pinning Kitty Noir against the wall, he had tapped into the 'cat' that had been sleeping within him ever since Marinette had taken the collar off of him.

Shinobi did her best to dodge and evade, but the former Chat Noir seemed even faster, stronger, and more powerful than the last time they had fought. And the burning fire in his eyes…

"Obsession!" Shinobi screeched, growing desperate. If she could just get one hit in, Gentlebug would be incapacitated just long enough for her to escape…

Seeing an opening, Shinobi let Gentlebug hit her shoulder as her little throwing stars dug into his stomach, ripping the tough armor like butter. Black energy oozed from the wound.

Gentlebug coughed, clutching his midsection. He collapsed to his knees, breathlessly crying out.

* * *

Adrien was _furious_. How dare the little ninja hurt his kitten, his lady, his _princess_? Deep inside, something awoke within him, taking over his body.

The next thing he knew, a sharp pain in his torso was bringing him back to his senses. He collapsed to his knees, shocked.

 _Had I… been cut?_

Then the burning started.

It felt as if the entire wound had been dipped in lava while fire licked across his skin. He cried out, but no sound emerged. He pressed his hands against the wound, hoping to smother the flames, but there wasn't even a scratch on him.

* * *

Marinette saw her partner fall, black oozing from his chest. " _No_!" she screamed, charging at Shinobi with a new fury.

Fear spiked in her eyes as she saw the flame in Marinette's eyes mirror that of Gentlebug's just moments before. However, Marinette could never match the speed of her doubly-enhanced partner; Shinobi managed to push her off long enough to sprint down the street.

"Oh, no, you don't, you filthy assassin," she growled, vaulting after her. She could _sense_ Zamir, Alya, and Nino watching her; she knew Gentlebug would be okay in their care.

She caught up to Shinobi at the Seine river, nearly tumbling over the bridge with the velocity that she knocked into her. She crouched over the assassin, pressing her baton against her throat. Her bluebell eyes flashed in fury as she snarled, "You will _pay_ for what you did to Chat."

Shinobi's eyes widened to the point that Marinette absently wondered if they would just pop out and save her the trouble. "Y-you… you're…"

"What? You have something to say to me?" she demanded, only now feeling the tears running down her face. "Spit it out, Shinobi, before I - "

"You're… Marinette?"

She froze, her rage fading into shock and fear. Only then did she see the faint outline of purple edging Shinobi's face in the shape of a butterfly.

 _Hawkmoth had told her_.

She didn't know how she knew, but that was the only explanation. Hawkmoth had known of her true identity; however, she should have been nearly unrecognizable as Kitty Noir to anyone who was ever observant.

Shinobi took advantage of her shocked state. Surging upwards, she grabbed her baton and struck Marinette in the chest, knocking her off. Marinette wheezed, rolling onto her side as she struggled to get up.

Shinobi stood over her, a heat gathering in her eyes as her anger built. She used her foot to shove Marinette onto her back again, crouching over her and hissing, "Do you even love Adrien? Was he just a _game_ to you, _Kitty Noir_?"

Her head swam. What was Shinobi talking about? "Get off me," she slurred, her head throbbing. She wondered if she had struck her head on the bridge.

"Which one do you _really_ care for, huh?" she persisted, rage building within her. "Adrien or Gentlebug?"

Marinette focused on Shinobi with her remaining strength, noticing her beeping baton. She grinned at her, unrelenting. "None of your business."

Shinobi struck Marinette over the head, effectively knocking her out.

* * *

Writhing in his own personal hell, Adrien didn't register the cool hands at first. After a while, he gasped for air, moaning under the cool application of ice and the hands holding it. "Mari… nette," he gasped, only able to think of one person who could help him in the state he was in.

The hands paused.

* * *

Zamir stared down at the 'hero' he had been told to capture for Hawkmoth. He and Nino had carried him into the nurse's office and put him on the bed to give him a little bit of comfort, although it didn't seem as if the hero had noticed. He was delusional in his pain, writhing in the heat of the Obsession attack by Shinobi. An attack that - once the victim was hit by it - will make the person focus on the thing they love the most and obsess about it, only ever able to think about that one thing.

Gentlebug had called out Marinette's name.

His stared into the pain-filled, dazed eyes, trying to see past the mask. _Black hair… Green eyes…_ Again, he thought of Adrien. Before he could shake off the ridiculous thought, though, he saw the hero's hair sticking up like cat ears. His eyes were slit like a cat's, as well.

Zamir flashed back to the first day he had went to school with Adrien. How, when he tried to sit between him and Marinette, the boy had glared at him with slitted eyes that were much like a cat's. He hadn't thought much of it since then, but now…

Alya came into the room with another ice pack in her hands, Nino following behind her with a bucket full of ice. "Maybe this will help," she said, her voice cracking as she pressed the ice pack against the boy's chest. She noticed Zamir's stricken face and frowned. "What's wrong? Did something happen?"

"Ah… it's nothing." He schooled his face, using his training and years of modeling to help him disguise the inner turmoil he was really going through.

Gentlebug was Adrien, which meant that Adrien had been the one Hawkmoth was chasing after. The irony… Did the man even know? _No_ , he thought, shaking his head slightly. _Hawkmoth was trying to figure out who Gentlebug was_. However, something more important than that right now nagged at his mind, drawing his breath short.

Did _Marinette_ know?

Did Marinette know he paraded around the city, saving it from people transformed into evil versions of themselves? Did she know he fought beside Kitty Noir and even flirted with her on a daily basis? Did she know that he seemed extremely close to the heroine?

His blood stilled as he remembered seeing Gentlebug hugging Kitty Noir, _nuzzling_ her.

Zamir stood up, his chair nearly tipping backwards from the force. He clenched his jaw, barely refraining from punching Adrien then and there.

Nino, who had been standing at the foot of the bed in order to stay out of the way, was startled at Zamir's expression. "You okay, dude?" he asked, frowning. "You don't look too happy."

Zamir controlled his expression the best he could. However, he knew without a doubt that the irritation and anger of the situation still leaked through. "I just don't like seeing my friend getting hurt like this," he said through tight lips, stalking out of the room.

It was true. He didn't like seeing his friend getting hurt - that _friend_ being Marinette. Adrien had been playing her; there was no other explanation. Which did he truly like, then? Marinette or Kitty Noir?

By what he had read on the Ladyblog, Chat Noir had been notorious for flirting with Ladybug on every mission the reporters had ever seen him at. That's over two _years_ of flirting. However, Adrien had only been in a relationship with Marinette for a _week_.

That meant only one thing.

He was playing with Marinette's feelings like a game.

The pure, strong soul who had been putting everything into the relationship had been lied to. She had been so acceptant of all of his flaws, yet he had been toying with her heart.

Zamir would find her and protect her; he wouldn't allow Adrien to play with her emotions this way any longer. It was too cruel for such a wonderful girl - too cruel for Marinette.

Taking a steadying breath, he barely breathed, "Iraami, preen."


	33. Searching for Marinette

Episode Seven: Render World

Part One

Marinette moaned, her head throbbing. Eyes opening, she looked around in confusion; she was tied to a pole in an abandoned warehouse. A girl with chestnut brown hair and chocolate brown eyes sat in a chair a few feet away, glaring at her. Her entire posture screamed predator.

"So you've finally woken up, Marinette."

Glancing down at herself in a panic, she was relieved to find she hadn't found the hidden latch on her suit. As for her mask, she knew the magic kept it on her face.

She recognized the girl in front of her: Esme Lionis, Adrien's fencing partner. The only person better than the model at the chosen art - although it wasn't widely known because Esme often let Adrien win in tournaments just so he wouldn't get in trouble with his father.

"Pardon me for not letting you talk," Esme continued, sneering at her. "I know of Chat Noir's powers; I don't want to take the risk that _you_ now have them, too."

She stood up, moving towards the entrance to the building. Marinette tried calling after her, " _Where are you going?_ " but the gag in her mouth kept her words too muffled to make them out.

Esme paused, turning around partway to bare her teeth. She raised her baton, her finger over a button. "Don't worry - I'll let you go. Eventually."

She pressed the button. Purple and black rippled over her like a cloud, solidifying into the ninja suit. She sprinted out of the room.

Marinette stared after her; she couldn't believe this had happened. She hoped Adrien was all right. He had taken a direct hit from Shinobi's "Obsession," which, by the name alone, didn't sound good…

She looked up at the ceiling, trying to keep herself from crying. She felt so hopeless and powerless. If only she had Tikki… the little kwami knew how to fix everything. She wondered if Plagg would have an idea of what to do in a situation like this.

She couldn't speak the detransformation phrase with her mouth gagged. Dipping her head forward, she squeezed her eyes tightly shut as she counted the seconds.

* * *

Song Bird gulped huge lungfuls of air from his high perch on the Eiffel Tower. He still couldn't quite tame the raging fire in his chest that whispered to him to take out Gentlebug - Adrien - and erase him from this world.

Something thumped onto the beam next to him. He glanced over to see Shinobi, his black eyes swallowing up the evening sunlight.

"What do you want?" Song Bird demanded, his rage making his voice clipped and curt.

Shinobi smiled bitterly. "I am guessing you found out the same as me?"

She now had Song Bird's full attention. "And what would that be?"

Shinobi's eyes narrowed. "Who are you angry at the most right now?"

"Gentlebug, the former Chat Noir," he responded simply, his jaw clenching in barely-contained rage. "I need him… _incapacitated_."

Shinobi grinned, a dark expression against the anger fueling her. "I will gladly help you accomplish that, but one slight problem."

Song Bird raised an eyebrow, not in the mood to play games.

Shinobi must have sensed it and dipped her head before speaking, "Chat - Gentlebug is more powerful than expected. I need something to help give me a boost so I can defeat him."

Song Bird continued to watch the city for a moment longer before slowly pulling a feather out of his tunic. The center pulsed with dark purple energy, looking dangerous even without a host. He held it out to Shinobi.

"Use it only if you feel there is no other way," Song Bird said quietly.

Shinobi bit her lower lip. Song Bird's voice had been low and smooth, but the girl could tell that he was about to erupt like a volcano. Plucking the feather out of his hand with two gloved fingers, Shinobi muttered, "Thank you," before vanishing into the rapidly approaching night.

Song Bird took a slow, steadying breath. _Adrien_ , he thought, piecing together everything he knew about his friend. _Who do you really love? Marinette or Kitty Noir? Which one were you playing?_

Regardless, he was going to keep Marinette from him until he revealed what Adrien had done. Now, though, he just needed to find her.

Leaping from the Eiffel Tower, he soared through the sky, looking for the telltale blonde pigtails.

* * *

Plagg held on the best he could, but eventually, he couldn't maintain the transformation anymore. Popping out of the ring, he collapsed next to Marinette, utterly exhausted.

"I'm sorry, Marinette… No more…"

"Mmfph!"

"All right, all right," he grumbled, floating up and pulling the gag out of her mouth.

She spit onto the floor, trying to rid herself of the awful taste of the rag. "Plagg," she rasped, her throat dry. "Go find Adrien."

"I'm not leaving you!" he yowled, instantly outraged at her suggestion.

Marinette shook her head. "You're weak right now," she whispered. "You can't transform, and I don't have any cheese on me. Go find Adrien and lead him back here; he'll be able to help." She gave Plagg a wobbly yet determined smile. "I'll be okay."

Plagg stared at her for a moment. He looked almost calculating. "You still have Ladybug's tendencies despite having me, the destruction kwami, with you." He took a deep breath. "Fine. I'll be back with Adrien."

He zipped away before Marinette could ask him about his cryptic words. Sighing, she got to work wriggling out of her bonds, but they were too tight. The rope chafed her wrists, sending a lancing pain up and down her arms and hands with every twist.

Shinobi dropped from the ceiling, rising to her feet in front of Marinette. Their eyes met. "Tsk, tsk," she murmured, "trying to escape? If you were still in your suit, it might have worked better."

"Let me go, Esme," she said firmly, refusing to show the fencer how afraid she was.

Shinobi grabbed Marinette's chin, hissing. "Answer my question, and I'll think about it. Which one do you truly care for: Adrien or Chat Noir - Gentlebug?"

Marinette gave Shinobi a tight smile. "They're both special to me," she whispered.

"Pick," she snarled.

"No."

Shinobi didn't need to know that she had already picked between the two; she had picked the side of him that he hid from the world, the side of him he felt the most ease as. She had chosen Chat Noir. She would die before revealing his secret.

* * *

Adrien moaned, his chest aching. He leaned into the cool hand checking his temperature. "Marinette…" he mumbled, a purr already rumbling from his chest.

The hand was suddenly gone as someone gasped in surprise. "He's… purring!"

Opening his eyes, he blinked blearily at the person in front of him. Alya stared at him, her mouth hanging open and her eyes wide in surprise. Frowning, Adrien glanced around, noting he was in the nurse's office. Nino sat in a chair a little ways away, gaping. "Where's Marinette?" he mumbled, still groggy.

"First, why are you _purring_?" Alya asked, looking up and down his body. "I thought everything of Chat Noir had been swapped over to Kitty Noir."

With a start, Adrien realized he was still in the Miraculous suit. He stared at the reporter, suddenly not wanting to say another word.

Alya huffed, crossing her arms. "I know who you are, Adrien. No use hiding it from me - or Nino."

Adrien exhaled slowly, closing his eyes. "Where's Marinette?" he asked again, reopening them.

"She took off after the ninja wannabe." She frowned at him as he tried sitting up. "What do you think you're doing?"

"I need to go after her," he wheezed, his chest feeling awful. "It's… a trap…"

"Yeah. We could tell." Alya rolled her eyes. "I'm sure she's fine. You, on the other hand - " her finger jabbed into his torso, making him wince and fall back onto the cot, " - need to rest. And what is that beeping noise? It's been going on for about five minutes now, and it's only gotten worse."

Adrien's hand flew up to his ear where the little earring was attached via two clamps; luckily, they had adjusted painlessly to someone who didn't wear earrings and were shaped like clip-ons. It made it easier for shoots, at least, although Tikki hated it when he took them off. Within seconds, his transformation had counted down and his suit dematerialized, leaving him in his school clothes and an exhausted kwami floating into his cupped hands.

"I'm sorry," Tikki immediately rasped, about to speak then and there. "I tried holding on as long as I could…"

"It's okay, Tikki," Adrien comforted the kwami. He glanced at Alya and Nino; they both wore dumbfounded looks. "Um, this is Tikki. She helps me become Gentlebug."

"Nice to meet you," Tikki squeaked exhaustively, raising a little hand to wave. "Do you have any cookies?"

"C-cookies?" Alya repeated, her eyes wide behind her glasses.

Adrien nodded. "She'll need cookies to… uh, recharge."

"Yeah." Alya still gaped, not moving.

"Adrien!" A black ball zoomed into the room, burying itself into Adrien's chest. He winced as it hit his bruise.

"Plagg? What are you doing here?" Adrien gasped, confused. "Where's Marinette?"

"She… was kidnapped," Plagg gasped, flipping onto his back and not moving. "Ohhh, I'm so tired… she told me to find you."

His blood turned into ice. "Alya, could you find cookies and cheese?"

"What?" Alya seemed to have finally regained her senses. "At a time like this? Really, Adrien? That little thing just said - "

"I can't do anything like I am now!" Adrien cut her off. He balled his fists into the blanket. "I need Tikki at full strength so I can transform, and Plagg needs to be ready to go, too."

Alya stared at Adrien. Seeing he was dead serious, she exhaled slowly and turned towards the door. "Cookies and cheese… got it." She left the room, grumbling to herself.

"Dude," Nino whispered, staring at the black kwami with wide eyes. "What is _that_?"

"Plagg," he introduced, although the destruction kwami seemed to have passed out on Adrien's stomach. "He helps Marinette."

Tikki landed next to Plagg, resting a hand on his shoulder in concern. "He really pushed himself," she said quietly. "He must have hung onto the transformation as long as he could and then flown straight here…"

Adrien covered his eyes with a hand. He couldn't stop thinking of Marinette. Was she okay? Did Shinobi hurt her? If she hurt Marinette…

Adrien would probably kill her.

Alya walked back in, looking dubious. She held a block of cheese in one hand and four cookies in the other. "I'm back…"

Tikki floated up to her and took one of the cookies. "Put the cheese in front of Plagg," she suggested, nibbling on the cookie.

Alya set the cheese in front of Plagg on Adrien's stomach, but the black ball of fur didn't move. A spike of fear shot its way through Adrien's muddled mind. "I know it's not camembert, but still…"

Tikki took another cookie from Alya and munched on it, already looking better than before. "He must be really tired. Give him a bit."

Adrien shook his head, pitying his friend but worried more about Marinette's safety. "We need to find Marinette." Nudging Plagg, he cajoled his friend, "C'mon, Plagg… I know it's not camembert, but if you don't eat it, I'll take it away…"

Plagg's eyes barely opened. He stared at the cheese for a long moment before crawling forward and taking a huge bite. Adrien's concern only grew as he actually watched Plagg _chew_ \- something the little glutton almost never did with cheese. Only when he was completely finished did he give Adrien an exhausted look. "I'll need more later. We need to help Marinette."

For a brief moment, Adrien was speechless. If someone told him that Plagg would turn down cheese to work, he would have scoffed at them.

Tikki, finished with her third cookie, floated over with the fourth in her hands. "Save this one," she said, handing it to Adrien. He put it in his pocket for the little kwami. "I'm ready now."

Adrien nodded, his mind only filled with thoughts of Marinette. Without hesitation, he called out, "Tikki, spots on." Within seconds, he was dressed in the Gentlebug suit.

"Whoa…" Nino breathed, his eyes wide.

Alya's fingers twitched, showing her desire to snap a picture but refraining it for Adrien's sake. She bit her lip as he stood up, cradling Plagg in his hands.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, glancing away. "I wish I could help out more…"

Adrien smiled slightly. "You can." Taking a deep breath, he said, "If you find Marinette, keep her safe. If you see Shinobi or Song Bird, run."

They both nod as Adrien went to the window and opened it. He flicked out his yo-yo, swinging out before they said anything else.

 _Hang on, Marinette,_ he thought, his gaze focused on where Plagg was pointing. _I'm on my way._

* * *

 _A/N: I have a holiday bazaar this weekend, and then I'm going on a short 4 day trip... but I'll try to continue posting on a weekly basis! . Thank you for the reviews, and thank you for putting up with my inconsistent schedule! I hope you like the new chapter..._


	34. Corruption

_A/N: Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a great holiday! I worked the whole time, so that coupled with the actual holiday celebrations left me unable to upload anything until now.  
One of my New Year's Resolutions is to continue posting at least once every two weeks to this fanfic! Let's see if I can keep to that..._

* * *

Render World: Part Two

Esme knelt in front of Marinette. The girl had refused to speak for the past half hour; Esme had even reverted back to her regular form just to try to make her feel less threatened. Now, though, she held her baton in her hand; it was nearly fully recharged.

"Why do you even do it, Marinette?" Esme asked her, frowning. Feeling a fluttering in her chest, she somehow knew the voice she had heard the first time she had transformed was also curious to know the Miraculous wielder's answer. "Why do you transform and help the city when you'd be a lot safer just staying at home?"

Marinette smiled defiantly. "It's to stop people like you from destroying it."

Esme was taken aback. It felt like Marinette had been talking _through_ her. Frowning, she stood back up. "Regardless, it's about time to find a certain bug and squash him." Walking to the crate where she had put the feather, she clicked the button on her baton, encasing her in leather and covering her face with the mask. She grabbed the feather, stabbing it into her forearm.

Power rushed through her. She felt as if her face was going to split into two from the crazy grin spreading across it. Turning towards Marinette, her eyes narrowed. "Time to go on a little trip, _kitty_."

* * *

Marinette's blood chilled. Esme had pulled out something that looked suspiciously like a feather, doing something with it while her back was facing her. Now, though, she stalked towards her, an odd glint in her eyes as she picked the Miraculous wielder up and tossed her over her shoulders like she was only a sack of potatoes.

"H-hey!" Marinette exclaimed, wriggling against her to try to get free. "Put me d - mmph!"

Shinobi slapped tape over her mouth, effectively shutting her up. Turning towards the open window she had swung in through a while ago, she made to jump through it.

"Hey, Goth Girl!"

Marinette's heart both soared and plummeted at that voice. Twisting, she looked past Shinobi to see Gentlebug at the entrance to the warehouse, standing stiffly. His fists were clenched tightly at his sides.

"My name is Shinobi," Shinobi said coolly, "and if you want your precious partner, then come and get her."

She leapt for the window. Marinette, dangling behind her, saw the yo-yo sailing towards them and reached for it. The string wrapped around her wrists and arms, digging in painfully. Wincing, she yanked hard, hoping to pull Shinobi back down to the ground.

Instead, Gentlebug soared up with them. Shinobi leaped to the top of the building, straining underneath the added weight.

Looking down, Marinette recognized where they were; the Le Pont de Bir-Hakeim stretched before them, spanning the Seine River. The two-level bridge held pedestrians, motor vehicles, and even the viaduct on top. She hadn't realized they were right next to the Seine River; her head spun slightly as Shinobi leaped over the water and landed on the tracks of the viaduct while Gentlebug rolled to a stop in the open space in the middle of the pedestrian walkway, directly in front of the La France renaissante statue.

Several people snapped pictures of the famous hero before realizing there was another person and quickly scattering, recognizing one of the many fights between the city's heroes and akumatized victims.

Gentlebug glared at Shinobi. "Let her go," he growled, baring his teeth at the transformed girl.

Shinobi sneered. "And why should I do that?" She walked along the edge of the tracks, and Marinette couldn't do anything other than stare at the ground beneath her. If she dropped her from this height while she was tied up, there was no way she would be able to save herself; and if she threw her out far enough…

She began trembling. Squeezing her eyes shut, she tried to drive out the terrifying thoughts of falling into the water and drowning, unable to swim while her hands and feet were bound.

"Oh. Wait." Shinobi stopped, glancing over her shoulder at Marinette. She grinned widely - too widely. She was enjoying this. "I told you I'd let you go, didn't I? I think now is a perfect time."

Marinette shook her head rapidly, her eyes wide. " _No_ ," she screamed against the tape, her breath whooshing in and out from her nose.

"Just as promised," she said, winking at her - and let go.

* * *

Adrien's eyes widened as he watched Shinobi drop Marinette. He whipped his yo-yo out, calculating where she would be once the trajectory of the yo-yo reached her. Even as he was doing this, he was sprinting.

The nearly indestructible string wrapped around her, yanking her towards him as he leapt up and caught her. They tumbled to the ground, rolling for several feet.

"Are you okay?" he asked, immediately sitting up and touching her face. Now that he was finally with her, he couldn't remember what they had come for; thoughts of her filled his mind and he grinned down at her. "Marinette."

Just saying her name filled him with happiness.

She rolled her eyes, realizing he was still under the effects of Obsession. A dark shadow whooshed over them and, thinking it was Shinobi come to hurt Marinette again, Adrien turned around and hissed. He stopped in shock.

Song Bird was dangling Shinobi over the drop just like he had done to Marinette, only the feather-clad boy had the girl by the throat. Even from this distance, Adrien could see Song Bird's eyes churning.

"If I had known this was what you had planned, I would have ended you sooner," Song Bird whispered, his voice flat and cold.

Hope sparked in Adrien's chest - unfamiliar to him, yet a welcome change. Maybe Song Bird was on their side.

"I'll be taking back my pet," Song Bird snarled just as he flicked the fingers of his other hand. A feather pierced Shinobi's thick leather armor, burying into her shoulder. She went limp in Song Bird's grip, her eyes glazed and unseeing as she breathed shallowly.

Song Bird tossed her onto the railing unceremoniously, picking up Shinobi's baton and snapping it into two. A small marble tumbled down onto the pedestrian walkway as a pulsating black butterfly beat its wings heavily as if it was weighed down.

Song Bird caught the fluttering butterfly between his fingers, examining it curiously.

"How interesting…" he murmured, and then shrugged.

He ate the butterfly.

* * *

Catching the burdened butterfly, Song Bird analyzed it with morbid curiosity. _An akuma,_ he remembered, noticing this one was so dark of a purple it was nearly black. It seemed weighed down with some invisible force.

 _No matter_ , he thought, raising the butterfly up. _A butterfly from Nooroo is still a butterfly that can give me power._

He swallowed it whole.

A shiver raced through him as the power transferred into him. No, it was more than a shiver; it was as if his entire body vibrated, trying to repel the intruding, corrupt energy.

Something uncurled within him; a deep rage that he had buried shortly after his mother's death. A deep rage at the unfair world that thought it was okay for horrible things to happen to good people for the sake of materialistic gain. A deep rage that, no matter how many times he had tried to tame it when it first bloomed, hadn't kept him from hunting down his mother's killers and delivering karma onto their doorstep.

He knew he wasn't a hero; he never considered himself one. Heroes didn't kill, after all; they forgave and handed out second chances like candy. He couldn't do that.

Collapsing to his knees, he fought the urge to torture the girl - now no longer Shinobi - in front of him for dragging innocent Marinette into the mix. He clutched his head, squeezing his eyes shut as the rage grew and grew, slowly pushing past the prison walls he had set up for it with sheer force and consuming him.

He had thought to merely tame the negative power enough to turn it into another feather while absorbing the remnant energy. However, the power amplified all the negative emotions within him, raising them to a point where he felt as if he would burst if he didn't find an outlet soon.

Whatever Hawkmoth had been doing was more than he could handle.

* * *

Marinette watched in horror as Song Bird collapsed to his knees with a short cry, clutching his head. A faint purple mist emanated from him, tainting his feathers and slowly edging them in red while the orange spots in the middle turned a deep crimson. Purple mist churned over his back, and within seconds, a cloak of blue feathers accented with crimson tumbled from his shoulders. Two peacock feathers stretched from his hair behind his ears, looking like a crown. His hair turned a pale silver, almost white.

He laughed, a dark and desolate sound as his hands lowered. He stood up, revealing that his tunic had lengthened, hitting the back of his ankles while the front was open up to his knees, revealing crimson tights underneath it.

"Hmm." Song Bird eyed Esme. The feather that had been lodged in her shoulder had dissipated, and the fencer seemed to be unconscious now. "Useless girl."

He stepped off the viaduct, dropping to the ground. His cloak flared like wings behind him, slowing his descent. "Render world," he murmured, his voice sounding hypnotically beautiful with those two words. One blue-slippered foot delicately touched the stone walkway.

The entire world shifted.

That was the best word to describe what happened. The moment Song Bird's foot had come in contact with the ground, colors warped and the air seemed thicker. Everything became cool-hued with warm accents; the Seine was a purple-blue with red edges, the statue was frosted blue with an orange glow to it, and the stone walkway was slate grey with red-orange trim.

Song Bird stared at something on the ground. Bending over, he picked up the marble that had fallen from Shinobi's baton. He flicked open his fan, setting the marble inside the handle.

Another ripple went through him. He shivered, closing his eyes briefly. When he reopened them, the deep blue of his iris was encircled in a ring of crimson, the two colors trying to bleed into one another.

Marinette felt the bonds around her hands loosen. Glancing down, she saw that Gentlebug had freed her. "Go," he whispered, his eyes clear of that adoration he had had just moments before; apparently, whatever Song Bird had done had broken the effects of Shinobi's Obsession strike.

Marinette quickly untied her feet, darting through the arches of the bridge into the road as she tried to peel the tape off of her mouth. All traffic had stopped and everyone had already fled from the area once they had seen Song Bird, although a few stuck around to try to video the encounter.

"Get out of here!" Marinette cried as soon as she got the tape off her mouth. The people quickly listened, looking as if they had been awoken from a daze.

Shivering, she leaned against a pillar on the opposite walkway, waiting for the rest of the civilians to evacuate. Plagg floated tiredly to her. "This doesn't look good, Marinette."

"I know," she agreed, rubbing her forehead. "I don't even know how we will purify his akuma… he _ate_ it, after all."

Plagg shook his head. "Nooroo and Iraami are a pair just like Tikki and I. Hopes and dreams on one side, illusions and deceit on the other. They balance one another in their own way."

"Creation and destruction," Marinette whispered, naming Tikki's and Plagg's ultimate powers.

"You need to know something about Iraami first," Plagg said as Marinette raised her hand. "He's not like most kwami; he doesn't believe in good or evil. All he cares about is himself. You can't get through to him by giving him the 'good for the world' speech Tikki likes to give."

Marinette nodded. She didn't know why Plagg was telling her this now, but she figured there was a connection between the kwami and the akumatized wielder. "Plagg - "

"One more thing." Plagg looked more serious than he ever had before. "You need to accept us, Marinette. If you don't, you won't be able to use our powers. You're fighting it; you think you will lose who you are while in the suit. But this isn't true. The suit _reflects_ who you are; so if you're unsure, the suit won't work the same, and that can be dangerous. The more you accept the suit and yourself, the more you will be able to utilize our powers."

Marinette nodded, biting her lip. Tikki had said something similar to her before. She took a deep breath, settling her nerves. "Okay, Plagg. I'm ready." She closed her eyes. "Ring bell."

* * *

Adrien stared at Song Bird, sensing the overwhelming amount of power radiating off of him. He knew Marinette would be transforming about right now before working her way back towards them, but he needed to figure out a way to distract the akumatized Miraculous wielder so they could purify him.

"We don't want to fight you, Song Bird," he began, hoping it would stop the boy.

Song Bird laughed; it was such a hollow, dark sound that the hairs on the back of Adrien's neck rose. "Oh, but Adrien, I want to fight _you._ "

Adrien froze. "What… did you call me?" he breathed.

"Adrien Agreste," Song Bird sang out, listing off the facts, "Sixteen years old, son of a famous fashion designer, and the perfect poster child. Who would have ever thought he had a rebellious streak bad enough that he would don leather at night and run rampant about the city?"

Adrien's blood ran cold. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Of course you do." Song Bird stepped forward. "I've read _all_ about you and your alter ego, Chat Noir. So vastly different from one another. Which is the true you? Does Marinette know?"

Adrien shook his head slowly, backing up as Song Bird approached. Suddenly, the feathered boy stepped to the side, dodging Kitty Noir's baton behind him. It retracted as she glared at him.

Song Bird grinned as if he had won the grand prize. "Ah, perfect. Kitty Noir, do you - "

His eyes widened as he dodged another swing by the nimble girl. When she went in for a third strike, he caught the end of the baton. His expression was flat as he swung her with her own weapon.

Kitty Noir flew to the side, crashing into the arches supporting the viaduct. She groaned, collapsing into a heap.

Red tinted Adrien's vision.

He barely kept himself from calling out her name. Taking a step forward, he snapped out his yo-yo, aiming for Song Bird.

Song Bird dodged, though Adrien was prepared this time. He yanked the edge of the string, tugging it to the side. The end responded instantly, sensing his motive and sailing towards Song Bird.

Song Bird winced as the strong material wrapped around him. Grim determination and confidence surged in Adrien; he had the bird-boy in his claws. Darting up to him, Adrien prepared to snag whatever needed to be purified, but he stopped short.

Song Bird had _eaten_ the butterfly. How were they going to purify it if they couldn't access it?

Song Bird's arm whipped out, grabbing Adrien's arm as the yo-yo's string slackened around his waist. Startled, Adrien met Song's gaze and was sucked into the swirling depths of the red and blue colors blending into purple in the middle.

"You won't wake up, will you?" Song asked curiously, frowning. Adrien couldn't help but listen to the beautiful, lilting cadence of his voice, completely enraptured. "You're too weak to accept the truth, after all. I guess you will just sleep forever, then."

Pain blossomed in his chest directly over his heart. He felt his knees strike the ground just as his vision went black.

* * *

 _A/N: *gasps* What happened to Adrien?!  
_ _Oh, wait... I know. *sniggers*  
_ _I'll try to have the next one up next week. Enjoy!_

 _Also, please remember that you can always follow me on Facebook. :) My page is Maxina Storibrook. Feel free to private message me through fanfiction OR through Facebook._


	35. Dizzy Spells

_A/N: So... I will finally admit it. I have come to a writer's block for the next episode (Episode 8: Alliances), which follows after Render World. After Part Three, I will only have two more pre-written chapters before I need to come up with new material. If you have any tips on how to get over writer's block, please let me know! I already know what I want to happen; I'm just having trouble with the "how" part and the sitting-down-and-putting-words-into-document part._

* * *

Render World: Part Three

"Nngh…" Adrien moaned, fighting against the restraints. Was he tied up? Finally getting his hand free, he rubbed the back of his hand across his face, discovering he wasn't wearing his mask. Blinking blearily, he looked around.

He was in his room. Frowning, he glanced down to discover his 'restraints' had been his blankets tangled around his body, cocooning him. Easing out of them, he searched for the now familiar small body that was often right beside him whenever he woke up.

"Tikki?" he said aloud. "Tikki, where are you?"

Silence greeted him.

 _That's weird_ , Adrien thought, looking down at his hand. _I remember fighting Song Bird. Marinette had gotten hurt, and I had looked into Song Bird's eyes…_

He remembered Song Bird's last words to him. " _You won't wake up, will you?_ " But he had woken up. Staring at the wall opposite him, he jumped a little at the firm rap on his door.

"Coming," Adrien said, hopping out of bed and hurrying to the door. He ignored the small touch of dizziness at moving so fast right after waking up. Yanking it open, he found Natalie with a daily schedule in her hand. "Hey, Natalie."

"Good morning, Adrien," she greeted curtly, nodding to him. He figured he mustn't have been out long since she wasn't asking questions. "I have your schedule for today. I would like to go over it with you during breakfast."

He nodded. "Sure thing. Let me get dressed." Closing the door, he quickly went to his closet and rooted around for a good minute or so before pulling out a clean shirt and pants. He went into the bathroom to take a quick shower, already dreading his cat-like reaction to the water.

His reflection caught his attention.

His hair was blonde again, and there were no telltale signs of the shape of cat ears peeking from the strands. Looking closer, Adrien also saw that his eyes were completely normal - no slit pupils or anything. Frowning, he undressed and hopped into the shower, completely fine with the water.

Once he was dressed, he made a beeline for his phone. _Maybe Marinette will know what happened,_ he thought, opening his text messages.

Marinette wasn't there.

Nino, Alya, and even Esme weren't, either; Only Chloe, Zamir, and a few old contacts remained. The only unread message was by Zamir that read: " _Dude, you really should come to the mall today! I'll bring some friends!_ "

Confused, Adrien texted him, " _When?_ "

Zamir's reply was instant. " _After school lets out. I'll meet you by the water fountain, k?_ "

" _Sure thing_ ," Adrien responded, leaving his room and walking towards the dining room. Entering, he noticed it was set up for only one person - himself. Yet again, his father wasn't joining him. No surprise there.

Natalie was already waiting for him, the schedule in her hands. "Today, you have fencing after your studies, but except for that, you are free to do what you want."

"Mhm." He sat at the table, digging into his breakfast. He felt as if he hadn't eaten for _weeks_. "I'm going to the mall after school."

Natalie frowned. "School? What are you talking about, Adrien?"

Adrien glanced at her, confused. "Uh… you know, the building I go to now for educational purposes? The one where all my friends are?"

Natalie slowly shook her head, looking a little concerned. "Adrien… you're being tutored here, in your home. You've never attended a day of public school in your life."

It was Adrien's turn to shake his head. "No…"

Again, Song Bird's words rang through his mind - but with a different meaning to them. " _You won't wake up, will you? I guess you will sleep forever, then._ "

Had he been dreaming of everything that had happened before?

"Ah… um. Sorry. I must have had a really realistic dream last night." Adrien laughed self-consciously, rubbing the back of his head. "Zamir texted me, actually. Could I go meet him at the mall this afternoon?"

Natalie gave him a sympathetic look; she knew how much Adrien had wanted to attend public school. Glancing at the schedule in her hand, she nodded. "I don't see how that would be a problem. I'll make sure to block off a few hours for that."

Adrien's smile wavered. "Thanks, Natalie," he whispered, unable to raise his voice any louder.

His lessons were short and sweet; he got the information easily. In fact, it almost felt as if he had done all of this before. By the time he made it back to his room, everything before that morning felt like a dream.

Rubbing his head, he fought the headache trying to fog his thoughts. He ruffled through his games, looking for _Ultimate Mega Strike III_ which had come out shortly after he had started school.

It wasn't there.

 _Oh… that's right…_ He sat back on his couch, staring blankly at the TV. _That… had all been a dream._

Shaking his head, he dispelled that thought. No; it couldn't have been. Too much time had passed for it to all be a dream; _years_ had gone by. Something must have happened that had altered everyone's memories of that time. He had to find Marinette and figure out if she knew anything.

"Tikki?" Adrien called out again, wandering around his room. "Tikki, come on out. I'll get you some of Marinette's cookies…"

The little kwami didn't appear.

Uneasiness made his stomach coil tightly. "Plagg?" He tried next, "Double servings of camembert cheese…"

The empty room mocked him.

"No…" he whispered to himself, his legs wobbling.

They were gone. His best friend and the bright little spot of hope. Who knows? Maybe they had never existed in the first place and he had imagined it all.

Which meant he had never leapt over Paris's rooftops and never met the pig-tailed, blue-eyed girl that had captured his heart like she captured the fluttering black butterflies.

His legs gave out at this. Vision blurring, Adrien stared at his bare hands. "Marinette," he breathed, his voice broken. "Marinette…"

* * *

"Thanks," Adrien said mechanically to Gorilla, slamming the car door shut as he walked towards the mall. Entering it, he passed by all the people without really seeing them as he worked his way to the water fountain in the middle of the plaza.

Maybe Zamir would know something. Looking ahead, he actually spotted the familiar ponytail and dark skin of his Persian friend. "Zamir."

The tall boy turned and flashed a brilliant smile at Adrien. "There he is!" Zamir crowed, opening his arms wide. "My best mate! Come here. You remember everyone from the last time we hung out, right?" Adrien stepped up, frowning slightly as Zamir introduced them. "That's Alya, the journalist of Ladyblog, and Nino, her boyfriend."

A strong sense of deja vu rocked through Adrien. He had said similar words when he had introduced _his_ friends to Zamir. A cold sense of dread slid down his spine as Zamir half-turned away, tugging someone forward.

"And this is my girlfriend, Marinette!"

A girl with blue-black hair in pigtails waved, her eyes shy yet friendly. "Hi," she greeted simply.

Adrien's world dropped away. It was official; he was stuck in some type of nightmare. He _had_ to be. For none of them other than Zamir to even recognize him… And Marinette…

Marinette didn't have that usual spark in her eyes when she saw him.

The one person that had seen him at his worst and knew the true him hid behind locked doors at home; the one person who knew he couldn't be himself _and_ be his father's son at the same time; the one person that he had told the reason why he donned the Chat Noir suit in the first place.

"Hey, man, you okay?" Nino asked, frowning in concern.

"Yeah! Perfectly fine!" Adrien swayed on his feet, his head spinning. "I-I just need to sit down for a moment."

Zamir patted his shoulder. "Come over here, Adrien. Just sit on the edge and take a few deep breaths; it looked like you were hyperventilating there for a bit. You sure you're okay? You're not sick again, are you?"

Sick? When had he gotten sick? "Nah." He passed off the concern with a wave of his hand. "Just got dizzy."

He peeked at Marinette. She was holding Zamir's hand, expressing polite interest in what was going on although her attention was divided between Alya and him. Alya was exuberantly talking to the girl about the recent appearance of Ladybug and Chat Noir, and Marinette was grinning and congratulating the girl for her exclusive interview with Paris's heroes.

"I'm sorry," Zamir said, his brows furrowing in worry. "I shouldn't have asked you to come out so soon after you recovered…"

"I'm okay, really," Adrien argued, standing up and tapping his chest with a grin and a wink. "It's too purr-fect of a day to pass up a nice stroll around!"

They all stared at him for a heartbeat too long; he wondered if he had said too much. Suddenly, though, they all burst out laughing. "Dude," Zamir forced out, still chuckling. "Who're you trying to be? Chat Noir?"

"Y-yeah," Adrien stammered, plastering a smile on his face. "Sort of…"

Marinette giggled, squeezing Zamir's hand. "Sounds like you copied him perfectly, Adrien. Are you a fan?"

He nodded, trying his hardest not to stare at Marinette. He wanted to snatch that hand and drag her away from Zamir while hissing at the taller boy.

Zamir smirked at Adrien, having no clue of his thoughts of him right then. "Never pegged you as a fan of Chat Noir," he admitted, wrapping his arm around Marinette's shoulders. "Who wants to fight a round in the arcades?"

Throughout that evening, Adrien couldn't shake the nagging feeling that he was an outsider from his own group. In the food court, Marinette and Zamir split off while Alya went to the restroom, leaving Nino and Adrien staring at the same menu of a little fast food place.

Adrien finally felt it would be safe to ask the question burning in him for a while now. "How long have Marinette and Zamir been dating?"

Nino shrugged. "Oh, about… two weeks now? Though she's had a crush on him for two years." He laughed, rubbing the back of his head. "I can't believe you didn't know. Zamir talked about you like you two were best buds."

Adrien shrugged. "What can I say? I don't go to school with everyone else."

Nino's smile slowly disappeared. "Yeah, uh… Zamir said something about that. You're real sick, right? I'm sorry. But hey, if you ever want to hang out, just call me up!" He jabbed his thumb at his chest, grinning. "My schedule's always free, dude."

Adrien smiled. "Thanks, Nino." Sick? What was he talking about? He wasn't -

Suddenly, another dizzy spell hit.

He clutched his head, taking several deep breaths. Blinking several times, he realized Nino was supporting him, looking concerned. "Dude, you okay?"

"Y-yeah," Adrien breathed, sinking into the nearest chair. "That came out of nowhere…"

"Zamir told us you got dizzy spells," Nino said, watching him worriedly, "and that's one of the reasons you don't go to school…"

Adrien smiled bitterly at Nino. "Anything else he told you about my condition?" At Nino's reserved expression, Adrien quickly gave a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, I'm not mad at him."

"Well…" Nino hesitated, fiddling with his headphones. "He said… you slept a lot, so you might be confused and might think your dreams are real and the real world is a dream."

Adrien blinked, surprised. Confused with what was reality? "I…" Adrien started to reject it, but realize that no matter what he said, it would make him look crazy.

This was the dream. It had to be. Song Bird had done something to him and he had fallen asleep to wake up here…

But what now?

What about Kitty Noir - Marinette? Without Gentlebug - him - they wouldn't be able to purify the akuma and revert everything back to normal.

His head throbbed. Hissing in pain, he rubbed his temple as black spots danced across his vision.

Nino leaned forward, concerned. "Do you need to go home?"

"No," he quickly refuted, sitting upright. "I think I just need some food in me."

He stood up, stepping towards the fast food shop in front of them. Dizziness slammed into him like a slap to his face and his legs crumpled underneath him. He fell, collapsing on the floor. "Adrien!" Nino shouted, kneeling next to him. "Dude, are you okay?"

Adrien blinked slowly, his eyes sliding closed. For a brief moment, he saw Kitty Noir kneeling next to him just like Nino was; she was cradling his face, her panicked blue eyes searching his. "I'm fine," he told her automatically, blinking several times - though it was Nino who came into focus.

"You're totally not, dude," Nino said, helping him into a seat. "Just wait here; I'll get you some grub."

"Nino, I can - wait!" Adrien moved to follow, but his head spun like crazy when he moved to stand up. "Urgh…"

What was going on with him? Maybe he really was confusing reality with his dreams…

* * *

 _A/N: Thank you for your reviews, everyone! I always look forward to reading them. They cheer me up and help encourage me to keep writing - not only this fanfiction, but my novels, too!_


	36. Cold Water and Quiet Rage

_A/N: Okay, okay. I got overexcited when I completed Part One of the next episode. xD But come oooooon; this is my favorite chapter! This one and the next one! They were so fun to write! *bounces excitedly*_

 _((Warning: subtle mention of self-harm, depression, and suicide mentioned in this chapter.))_

* * *

Render World: Part Four

That night, Adrien laid in his bed, staring at his hand stretching into the air. Turning onto his side, he flipped it over to examine the lines on his palm and inner forearm.

Tiny scars littered his skin; unnoticed until Marinette had touched one, her bluebell eyes full of concern and sympathy. Zamir didn't seem surprised that Adrien was confused about the scars; they were apparently from past hospitalizations when he had went unconscious from one of his 'sessions.'

Apparently, he had some weird-named disease that affected his nervous system.

He had a lot of symptoms from it, but the main one was fainting. When it got really bad, he actually had to be hospitalized as he went into a coma-like state until his vitals came back up to normal. One therapist that tried to help him two years ago told him to pretend to be in a more normal situation, daydreaming through the occurrences. The daydreaming had transferred over to his subconscious, and so his dreams became more vivid; many times when he woke up in the hospital, he freaked out and pulled out the IVs, causing the nurses and doctors to rush to stop the bleeding. The therapist had been fired, though the damage had been inflicted on Adrien's mind.

He traced a thin yet distinct scar across his wrist with a finger. He knew there was a matching one on the other wrist. The last time he had awoken in the hospital, he had sobbed over not being Chat Noir and had sliced his wrists with the IV needle that he had yanked out of his own arm. Luckily, he hadn't managed to sever anything that couldn't be fixed and the nurse had been right there; he had gone into immediate surgery.

Adrien clenched his fist, feeling the skin pull in an unfamiliar way - as if it was too tight. He frowned, opening his palm again.

 _Bzzzt_.

Pulling his phone out, he read the new message. ' _Dude, it's Nino. It was awesome getting to hang! We should do it again. You free tomorrow?_ '

He stared at the words, his lips parting slightly. Was this really reality? Did he just imagine _everything_ before - all two years' worth? Had he been sleeping his life away, hoping for a version of reality that had never happened?

The screen blurred and wobbled. Curling in on himself, he let the tears fall. "No…" he moaned, squeezing his eyes shut from the sight of the scarred arm holding the phone. "No…"

Desolation emptied him, turning him into a hollow husk that couldn't be filled with anything. Not anything that he could have, anyway; Marinette was with Zamir. Who knew? Maybe he had a crush on her and had imagined her being with him, instead. Then how had he known of Plagg and Tikki? His imagination coming up with them as an explanation of how the heroes had their powers? That must be it. After all, magic didn't really exist. None of it did.

Despite this thought, he couldn't help but sobbing, "Tikki… please… help me…"

 _Adrien…_

It was barely there, in the back of his mind like a flutter of wings. However, it was _there_. Sucking his breath in sharply, he repeated, "Tikki?"

 _Adrien!_

More tears slipped from his cheeks, but this time, they were from happiness. "Tikki, you're real… thank goodness… where are you?"

Slowly, a little red kwami materialized in front of him, black spots on its forehead and sides. Tikki stared at Adrien with wide, seeking eyes. " _Adrien… - hear me?_ "

Relief crashed through him. "Tikki!" He grinned, reaching forward to touch the kwami.

As soon as his finger came in contact with the little red body, she came into full focus, floating in front of him. "Adrien!" she cried, zipping up and hugging him tightly. "I've been trying to get your attention this whole time, but you were doubting everything! I was worried you would never believe again!"

"Tikki…" Adrien held the kwami close. _If she's real, then…_ "Where's Marinette? And Plagg? What's going on - why does everyone think I'm sick, and why does everyone think Zamir has been here for two years?"

"This is all in your head," Tikki explained, waving her arms frantically. "I'm only able to talk to you right now because we're deep in your subconscious. You need to break the illusion Song Bird cast on you!"

 _Illusion_.

"It's… not real," Adrien breathed, looking around at the walls. A huge weight lifted off of his chest, and he breathed a little easier. He smiled at Tikki. "Thank you, Tikki. I think I know what I need to do."

She stared at him with wide eyes, her mouth hanging open. "Adrien, you…"

He blinked, staring down at the kwami. "What?"

Tikki beamed up at him. Adrien didn't see it himself, but Tikki could see the hope radiating off the boy where, a week ago, he didn't have any at all. Not only that, but he was confident in his own abilities, using them on his own instead of constantly relying on the Miraculous to solve his problems.

"I think you're ready to know this. I have another ability, Adrien, and I think you're strong enough to be able to use it."

* * *

Marinette collapsed to one knee, huffing as she winced in pain. Her left arm was completely numb, not responding to her at all; a small tear in her suit over her wrist revealed a shallow cut that had been caused by one of Song Bird's regular feathers.

Who knew the sharp tips would paralyze her?

Glancing at Gentlebug, she gritted her teeth. He was still lying on the ground, his eyes glassy and his jaw slack. She had tried waking him up a few minutes ago; he had mumbled something that had sounded like an "I'm fine," but his unresponsive state had her worried about him.

When she had opened her eyes, she had seen him collapsed on the ground in front of a crooning Song Bird. His voice had echoed eerily over the bridge as his feathers vibrated, oozing a faint mist that encompassed the city.

As soon as Marinette had been touched by that mist, her insecurities had manifested as hallucinations and voices in her head. Even now as she battled Song Bird to keep him away from Gentlebug's unconscious form, she also fought against her own personal inner demons.

From the corner of her eye, she saw Alya lower her phone, a look of betrayal on her face. "Marinette?" the reporter breathed, outraged. "How _could_ you? I'm your best friend! Why couldn't you trust me?"

 _I do_ , Marinette told her, momentarily distracted - and nearly didn't dodge the arrow Song Bird had flicked at her.

"Hold still, kitty," he crooned soothingly. She wanted to listen to that voice; to collapse into his arms and follow his every whim. Shaking her head, she bounced on her feet, trying to rid herself of his enchanting voice.

This time, it was Adrien in the corner of her eye. "I loved you, Marinette," he whispered, looking hurt. "Why? Why didn't you tell me sooner? DIdn't you trust me? We're _partners_ ; we're supposed to trust one another. Were we not like that?"

Marinette gritted her teeth together, shaking her head again. "You can't beat me down that easily," she shouted at Song Bird defiantly, raising her baton.

"I do believe I can."

Suddenly, he was in front of her, clutching her throat tightly. He raised her up, squeezing tighter. She gasped, not able to get enough air. Flailing, she tried to knock into his arm or head, but his cloak moved to protect him.

His eyes were nearly a complete blood-red with only flecks of blue within them. He watched her with mild curiosity like one would express in a passing bug. "So weak," he murmured, pulling out a rather large feather from his fan. This one looked different; instead of having a pointed tip, the entire side of it looked sharp like a knife. "You do not even know how to use your Miraculous."

He plunged the feather-knife into her stomach, twisting.

Her eyes widened as pain pierced her, wiping her mind completely of the sharp retort she had been about to say. He let her go, allowing her to collapse to the ground.

She coughed, blood trickling from her lips as she covered the wound in her gut with her hands in an attempt to stop the bleeding. Looking at the still-unmoving form of her partner, she whispered, "Chat…"

Suddenly, she was being dragged across the ground by her collar. She coughed, clawing at the hand gripping her bell. "Let me go, you monster!" she screamed at him.

He paused at that. Glancing down at her, he smiled - but it was cold and emotionless. "Yes; someone finally gets it. I'm a _monster_. I always have been and always will be. A butterfly will not change who I was to begin with."

He lifted her up. Only then did she realize they were at the edge of the bridge; he dangled her over the Seine river, the water churning in the strange colors of the world. As Marinette stared into the depths, something shifted underneath the surface, looking suspiciously like a sea monster. "No. No!"

His arm was covered in scratches from her clawed gloves, but he didn't seem to notice. Pulling out another feather, he dipped it into his blood, twisting it between his fingers in thought. "No," he whispered, dropping the feather before pulling out another one. "I want you to know what is happening to you."

He plunged the sharp point into her shoulder, ripping the bell off of her collar.

She tumbled into the cold water, the impact knocking the breath out of her. She swam up, breaking the surface to gasp in air. However, something was wrong with her limbs; the more she swam, the harder it was getting to use them.

 _No_. Dread filled her; the paralysing concoction on the feathers was spreading through her body, slowing her movements. She took one last deep breath before her head sank underneath the surface, unable to swim anymore.

Things moved in the water; faces stared at her. Some were accusing; others were mocking; a few were disgusted. She closed her eyes, unable to look at Adrien floating in front of her, looking like she had just crushed his heart.

 _Adrien… I love you…_ she chanted in her head, wishing she had been able to tell him those words. It was her only regret.

* * *

Adrien sluggishly blinked, slowly focusing on his surroundings. Pulling his arms underneath himself, he pushed himself off the ground to look around, searching for one set of bluebell eyes. Instead, his eyes landed on Song Bird who was standing at the edge of the bridge, clutching something in his hand.

Song Bird turned around, his eyebrows furrowing in surprise at seeing Adrien rising to his feet. A large gold bell jangled in his hand as he turned around.

Adrien's eyes widened as he stared at the bell. That was Kitty Noir's bell.

"No…" he breathed, glancing around. He noticed the trail of blood leading to the edge of the bridge, too much to be from Song Bird's scratched arm - the same arm holding the bell.

Adrien didn't think.

He didn't think that he still had cat tendencies; he didn't think that the water would be the worst place for his still-sluggish body; he didn't think that Marinette could already be gone. All he could imagine was trajectory, angle, and probable depth as he sprinted to the edge of the bridge with superhuman speed, diving straight down.

 _Don't lose hope. Never lose hope._

Those were Tikki's words. Once he lost hope, he wouldn't be able to use Tikki's more complicated abilities. Once he no longer believed in anything, he couldn't do anything.

But he couldn't think of anything other than saving Marinette.

He struck the water's surface, almost sucking in water from the sheer shock and panic that coursed through him from being surrounded by so much water. He gritted his teeth, fighting the urge to flounder about uselessly as he searched for the girl he knew was down here.

For once, he thanked Hawkmoth; Marinette's blonde hair nearly glowed in the dark waters of the Seine river. Wrapping his arms around Kitty Noir, he pressed his lips to hers, trying to give her air.

She didn't respond.

He bit back the panic. _She's fine, she's fine,_ he chanted, swimming to the surface. The yo-yo was already swinging upwards, catching on an arch and pulling them onto the bridge.

Shivering, Adrien laid Kitty Noir on the ground. Suddenly, her transformation failed, and Plagg tumbled out of the ring, skittering across the stones. He scrambled back to Adrien, wailing, "Adrien! Save her! There might still be time!"

Startled, Adrien stared at the kwami. For a brief heartbeat, fear spiked through him as he remembered what the two kwamis had told them when their Miraculouses had been forcefully switched; the wielder had to be dead or almost dead for them to no longer be connected to the kwami.

He needed to get the water out. Plugging her nose and tilting her head to the right angle, he opened her mouth and breathed into her lungs, feeling her chest rise. He pressed his palms in the middle of her torso, pressing down sharply.

One. Two. Three. He continued the repetitions, having been trained in CPR by his father in the case of an emergency; it was the only thing he could think of to help her.

More repetitions. More breathing.

Marinette spluttered, coughing and choking up water and blood. She wheezed painfully, her right hand trembling as it clutched her stomach. She stared up at Adrien, smiling through the haze of pain.

Her hand rose from her stomach, covered in blood. Adrien's eyes widened as he finally noticed the wound staining her shirt; she had been stabbed brutally.

She touched his face, her fingers trembling. "I love you, Adrien," she rasped, her eyes closing as her hand dropped limply over her stomach.

"No." _This was impossible; she couldn't be dead. She's… she's just sleeping._ His vision blurred and wobbled as his hands shook her gently. "Marinette… wake up. You can't sleep right now."

She didn't respond.

"Marinette…" his voice cracked as tears raced down his cheeks, splashing over her limp form. His entire body trembled. "Marinette…" More tears fell onto her.

Cradling her face in his hands, he kissed her. No response. He kissed her again and again, his tears falling onto her face. To all the world, she could be asleep. He refused to believe otherwise; if he did, he would break - and then he couldn't be put back together.

Pressing his forehead against hers, he nuzzled her face, giving her a few kitty kisses while allowing his tears to flow freely. Biting his lip until it bled, he gave her another kiss on the lips; when he pulled away, he could see where his blood had mingled with hers, slipping into her mouth.

"Sleep well, my princess," he whispered, stroking her hair back as he removed Plagg's ring from her finger and slipped it onto his own. "I'll be back to wake you with another kiss."

He slowly rose to his feet as Plagg floated next to him. "He's really strong," Plagg whispered, looking as though he was in a large amount of pain. "Marinette didn't even have a chance to get close."

"Plagg, claws out."

Surprised, Plagg looked at him. "Kid, that isn't gonna - whoooaaa!"

Plagg was sucked into the ring.

* * *

 _A/N: Also, since I'm finally at this point of the story... I will admit it. I have played Cold Water by Major Lazer on repeat so. Many. Times. I'm addicted, I know. But after you read this chapter, you will understand! When I heard this song, it was around the same time that I came up with my character Zamir; I knew I just had to make a scene based off of the song Cold Water!_

 _I hope you liked it... :D_


	37. Balance

_A/N: So... we'll see over these next two weeks if I manage to post on time! I'm in the middle of moving, and I have a few events for my book, Danarko, in the middle of it all..._

 _In the meantime, enjoy the last part of Episode 7: Render World!_

 _Edit: I just realized I hit 100 reviews! In celebration, PM me ONE question you REALLY are dying to have answered, and I will answer it to the best of my knowledge! I will post all questions and answers on the next update. :)_

* * *

Render World: Part Five

Song Bird saw Gentlebug stagger to his feet. Faster than even he could react, the boy had vaulted himself straight over the bridge and deep into the depths of the Seine, resurfacing with Kitty Noir in his arms. The moment he laid her down, though, her transformation wore off and a little black kwami shot from the ring on her hand.

 _Yes!_ Song Bird thought, stepping forward in triumph. _Plagg's out of the -_

"No," he whispered, staggering backwards. It couldn't be. It just couldn't be.

 _Marinette_.

Song Bird sank to his knees, horror at his actions slowly sinking in. All this time, he had been fighting to protect Marinette's smile and positive outlook on life. Yet all this time, it was _Marinette_ he had been fighting against.

His head sank forward until he was staring at the ground. The purple-blue clouds gathering above let out an ominous rumble as blue-grey rain began to fall.

A red-armored black boot hit the ground in front of him. "Song Bird."

Looking up slowly, surprise broke through Song Bird's shock at what he had done to Marinette. Gentlebug looked more like the pictures of Chat Noir around the city; however, his suit was drastically different. Red-spotted black armor covered the main parts of him, making him look more like an assassin than a Miraculous wielder. Two black cat ears and a tail flicker in pent-up rage. In his right hand, the baton twirled slowly while his left hand grasped the yo-yo tightly.

 _He… activated the second Miraculous on_ himself _?!_ Song thought, stunned.

Suddenly, he was soaring backwards, his face screaming from the kick he hadn't seen.

* * *

Adrien was beyond angry. Song Bird had hurt his precious Marinette; he had tossed her over the bridge like an unwanted kitten.

Wiping the blood from his bitten lip, Adrien murmured the one word that sprang to mind: "Sunder." He gripped his baton with his bloody hand, and the weapon glowed a sickly green.

Song Bird staggered to his feet, snapping his fan open. His cloak floated about him, truly looking like the plume of a peacock. "If you think you can dodge all of these, you're wrong," he sang, a crazed look in his eyes.

Adrien remained silent.

Song Bird whipped his fan through the air, and several feathers streaked towards Adrien. He watched them, amazed at how slowly they were moving; he barely had to move his baton to stop all of them. They clattered to the ground, utterly harmless as he continued walking towards Song Bird.

Song Bird gritted his teeth, staggering a few paces away. His back hit a wall. Pulling out a rather large feather from his side, Song Bird held it up in front of him. Adrien saw the glint of red along the edge, and his vision reddened in response.

That was the blade that had hurt Marinette.

Adrien flicked his left wrist, sending the red-spotted black yo-yo flying at Song Bird. The boy managed to dodge it.

"Why are you running, birdie?" Adrien crooned, a wild grin spreading across his face. "This is a purr-fect opportunity for a fight."

Song Bird gritted his teeth together. "You knew Kitty Noir was Marinette, didn't you?"

"Well, of course," he said casually, examining his baton in feigned interest. "You don't really think I would hang all over a girl other than my girlfriend, _do you_?"

With these two last words, he swung the baton at the feather-clad boy. He leapt out of the way, but the baton caught the edge of the cloak. An area the size of a volleyball disintegrated off of his cloak.

 _Balance_. He needed to maintain that. Needed to maintain Plagg's thirst for chaos and havoc with Tikki's need for calm and serenity; his despair and her hope; his destruction and her creation. His yin to her yang.

Marinette's life depended on it.

"Song Bird," he sang out, his voice oddly calm. Even as Gentlebug, his voice had never been this calm.

Song Bird crouched on the bridge, ready to leap out of the way of another attack. "... What?" he finally asked, his red eyes flickering slightly. There seemed to be some blue edging into it from the inside.

"Do you really think you can _run_?" he whispered, allowing his baton to tap against the bridge. A large crack formed, and the bridge rumbled as part of it crashed into the Siene.

Song Bird streaked by him, racing to get off the section of the bridge crumbling into the water. However, by doing that, he was closer to Marinette. He stared at her with wide eyes, and the hand holding the feather-knife trembled.

Adrien struck.

Slamming his fist against Song Bird's abdomen, he delivered another blow across his face before pinning his neck with a hand. He slammed the blue-clad wielder against the viaduct's arches, his control momentarily slipping more towards Plagg. "Don't you _dare_ get near her," he snarled, his voice almost unrecognizable behind the growl emanating from his chest.

Song Bird's feathers trembled as he gasped for air. A faint mist exuded from them, enveloping him.

"Adrien! What are you doing?"

It was his father, Gabriel Agreste. He looked disapproving - ashamed, even. He shook his head in disappointment. "I cannot accept you as my son anymore."

Adrien snorted. "After the hell you just put me through," he hissed in Song Bird's face, "You _really_ think that illusions will work?"

"H-how did you wake up from that?" Song Bird demanded, his arms flailing behind him.

"I saw through it," Adrien replied grimly. "Just like I can see through you down to your corrupted heart."

Just as he said this, he baton's Sunder power ran out. He clipped it to his back as he casually contemplated what to do with the bird trapped between his claws. He could feel a sneeze coming on, but he pushed it back; this was too important for his allergy to get the best of him.

"Adrien, I - urgh!" Song Bird winced as if his head was hurting. A broken, flickering butterfly symbol appeared around his face. He squeezed his eyes shut. "No. No! I won't!"

Adrien frowned. Was he… fighting Hawkmoth?

Song Bird opened his eyes. The iris was a deep crimson on the outside, bleeding over into the brilliant kaleidoscope of blue. It didn't intermingle, simply overtook. "Stop… me…"

"Purify," Adrien whispered, a calmness settling over him as his hand around Song's neck loosened enough so the boy could breath. He placed his left palm against Song's chest and pulled, digging his claws into something invisible.

"U-urgh," Song Bird gasped, wincing as some of Hawkmoth's power was forcefully pulled out of him. It formed into a writhing orb of purple-black energy between them; however, in Adrien's hand, it turned a pretty milky-white.

"Here; have it _back_." Adrien shoved the orb back into Song Bird's chest, watching in grim satisfaction as his eyes widened in pain.

* * *

When Chat Noir - no longer just Gentlebug anymore - had ripped part of the darkness out of him, he thought he was going to collapse like a puppet that had its strings cut.

But then he slammed that raw magic back into him.

He couldn't scream; his lungs and throat wouldn't work. His entire body was in shock as purified magic rushed through him, replacing the corrupt magic that had been within him up until just then.

Tears prickled his eyes. What had he _done_? Marinette was dead on the end of the bridge. The spells he had released over the city - Render World and Alter Mind - must have certainly already caused many casualties.

Chat pulled away, letting him slump to the ground. "No…" he sobbed, looking up at the hero. "Please… stop it…"

He was _burning_ inside. There was still darkness, writhing in the back of his mind, trying to take over. It was relentless, whispering to him to get angry again, to go on a rampage. To destroy everything here and make them all feel as he had felt for the past five years.

Chat ignored him, snatching the fan and popping the purple stone out of its setting. He opened his yo-yo, revealing a glowing white interior where he dropped the marble; within a few seconds, a sparkling marble resurfaced, and he pocketed it.

Chat's clawed hand wrapped around Song Bird's throat, tipping the Persian's head back so he was staring into green slitted eyes. "Tell me," he snarled, "where Hawkmoth is."

"He's…" Song Bird's eyes shut involuntarily at the sudden spasm around his esophagus; it wasn't Chat's hand, though. The darkness still within seemed to have come up and choked him momentarily. He fought through it; he didn't want to listen to this man anymore. "Tower… dome… I - help…"

Chat released him, frowning. Song Bird sucked in one huge gulp of air after the next, feeling as if he couldn't get enough air no matter how much he breathed. "What's wrong with you?"

Song Bird jabbed a finger at himself. "Hawkmoth's power," he gasped, "It's… controlling me." Tears streamed down his face now. "I… never wanted… to hurt Marinette…" he moaned, desolate. "You have… to believe me."

Chat grabbed Song's silver hair, yanking his head back to glare into his red eyes. "Listen up," Chat growled, "I'll do this again only if you agree to help us find and defeat Hawkmoth."

All Song Bird could do was nod. He wanted the crushing pain to end; it felt like his mother had died all over again.

Chat Noir's claws dug into his chest, digging out even more of the pulsing energy corrupting his very thoughts. He yanked free another orb of purple, this one even bigger than the last. Song Bird collapsed against the side of the viaduct, gasping as he clutched his chest. Why did it hurt even _more_? Suddenly, it dawned on him what this was.

Crushing guilt.

He knew anytime his Render World or Alter Mind touched someone; he could feel them sinking into their worst fears, some even ending their own lives or ending the lives of others. While that evil force had been in him, he had fed off of it, getting stronger with every suffering soul.

"Break… illusion," he sobbed, covering his mouth with a hand.

The world regained color; all the illusions he had placed, all the Altered Minds, anyone touched by his Rendered World, suddenly were no longer affected. However, that didn't change the fact that he had caused the chaos and mayhem in the city.

"Hold still," Chat Noir said, his voice flat. Before Song Bird could ask him why, he was slammed in the gut with another orb of pure magic.

His breath whooshed out of him. Coughing, he curled in on his side, clutching his midsection.

"Get up." Chat's toed boot nudged him. "We need to find Hawkmoth."

"But Marinette - "

He found himself slammed against the wall, the air knocked out of him yet again as he was pinned to the stone with one clawed hand around his throat. He stared into furious green eyes. "Don't you _dare_ speak her name."

Chat dropped him just as fast as he had picked him up. Song Bird wheezed, watching Chat Noir walk over to Marinette's limp body.

Chat whispered something, and his left hand glowed a soft white. He pressed it to her side as he knelt down, cradling her head in the other hand. He closed his eyes, bumping her forehead with his. A single tear slipped from his eye, splashing onto her face. "Time to wake up, princess…"

He kissed her.

Her eyelids fluttered open. "Chat…" she rasped. Her breathing, much more noticeable now, was even and steady. When he moved his hand from her side, her abdomen no longer had that nasty gouge within it.

He stroked her hair back. "It will all be over soon," he whispered. "So just - "

"No. I'm coming with you." She smiled at him; she was obviously still in pain, but she was stubborn. Her fingers ran along his jaw, and he leaned into her palm. "We're partners, after all."

"You… don't have your Miraculous anymore, though," he whispered, pressing his hand against hers to flatten her fingers against his face.

"Did you use Lucky Charm?" she asked, her voice still sounding rough. He shook his head. "Try that."

He laughed, pressing his forehead against hers again. "Your ideas always amaze me, mi'lady." He tossed his yo-yo straight up. "Lucky Charm!"

A red feather dusted with fine black dots drifted down, landing on Marinette's stomach. Chat immediately sneezed, unable to hold it back anymore. She picked it up delicately, examining it with a frown. "What's this supposed to mean?"

"Marinette…" Song Bird choked, his eyes wide. Several tears slipped down his cheeks, blurring his vision. "You're… alive. Thank goodness."

She frowned, staring at him. "Who are you, Song Bird?" she finally asked. "Why did you attack us?"

"I…" Song Bird rubbed his head; it was still throbbing. He felt the feathers extending from his mask, and as he pulled his hand away, he finally noticed his silvery hair. "Iraami, settle."

Nothing happened.

Panic shot through him. The last time Iraami hadn't been able to release the transformation was when he had killed his mother's torturers; he had been stuck as Song Bird for nearly a whole day and night, having to run and hide from anyone and everyone because of his blood-soaked appearance.

"Iraami, settle," he repeated, panic making his voice tremble. "No…"

Chat Noir glanced at him, frowning. "What's wrong?"

Song Bird shook his head. "I-I can't transform back. This has happened once before… my kwami got really sick…" He bit his lip. He had never wanted to hurt his kwami like that again. "I keep messing up…"

Marinette slowly sat up with Chat's help. She examined his new suit, marveling over the new contours. "Chat… maybe… we should just release the feather?"

Chat Noir blinked, and then nodded. He let go of the feather, whispering a phrase that Song Bird couldn't quite pick up.

A tsunami of pinkish-white magic rolled out in a ring, washing over the entire city like a huge wave. It swirled around the two heroes the most; there was a muffled groan before the swirling magic disappeared.

Marinette was now in the Ladybug suit, her hair blue-black and her eyes back to normal. Chat Noir was sprawled on the ground next to her, moaning in pain. His suit no longer had the red armor attached to it.

"Oh, kitty…" Ladybug crooned, running her fingers through Chat's hair. He slowly relaxed underneath her touch. "I'm sorry."

"I'm… okay," he huffed, sitting up. He gave her a tight-lipped smile. "How's your side?"

"It… still hurts." She frowned, touching her abdomen gently. "Maybe we didn't get everything…"

Song Bird paled. "It's me…"

The heroes looked at him, startled. "What do you mean?" Chat asked, looking alarmed.

Song slowly began shaking his head. "Your power… it's supposed to put everything back to normal after you've purified the corrupted magic, right? What happens… when not all of it is purified?"

Chat Noir and Ladybug exchanged a look. "Not everything reverts back," Ladybug whispered, touching her side.

Chat stared at him. "Didn't I get it all?"

Song Bird scoured his mind. He had always buried that nasty streak within himself ever since he had delivered karma onto his mother's killers, but now it had resurfaced. It almost seemed fresh, as if waiting for him to get angry again. It was as if something _else_ was feeding it. He shook his head at the heroes. "I don't think so."

Chat exhaled slowly. "We'll deal with that later. You said you would help us find Hawkmoth?"

Song Bird nodded, rising to his feet. His legs trembled but supported him. Ladybug and Chat Noir leaned on one another. "Are you sure you should be fighting like that?" he asked, concerned for the young heroes.

"Hawkmoth is also weak right now, right?" Chat asked, smiling grimly. "We'll get him now while he can't fight."

Song Bird laughed darkly. "That was his plan with both of you. I guess… I was his trump card." He fisted his hands, trying to control the rage building up in him - no longer directed at the heroes, but at Hawkmoth. "I don't appreciate being someone's puppet."

* * *

 _A/N: You all seriously thought I could kill our precious Marinette?! Pfft..._

 _If I wanted her dead, she would be dead. No, Adrien brought her back before she reached the gates of Eleth. (Danarko reference here, guys. You should totally check out my Facebook page.)_

 _Not only that, but I would feel weird killing the main character of a series that isn't even my own. Rest assured that Marinette (or Adrien, for that matter) will not die in this series..._

 _ **Maybe**._

 _Just ask my beta reader. I'm an "_ **evil writer.** _"_ _Hehehe. Enjoy!_


	38. Broken

_A/N: I'M SORRY. I GOT EXCITED. I had just finished writing this episode, and I couldn't wait the extra day to share it. ^_^_

 _Enjoy..._

* * *

Episode Eight: Alliances

Part One

Adrien warily glanced outside the window. He watched a couple pass by; other than them, there was no one on the street outside.

Marinette shoved a block of camembert cheese in his hands, making his face wrinkle in disgust as Plagg dove for it. Tikki was already on the counter, chowing down on a plateful of cookies. "Mom and Dad are at the hospital. They had to take our neighbor, who had tried stabbing herself." She shook her head. "It looks like Song Bird's Render World ability wasn't reversed…"

The one to blame was sitting on a chair, his elbows on his knees as his head hung low. His silvery hair fell like a curtain around his face, disguising his features. Adrien felt a nagging tug at his memory, almost as if he should know this boy. He frowned.

"Song Bird." The silver-haired boy jerked, but he didn't raise up. "Why didn't everything go back to normal?"

The blue-green-and-red kaleidoscope eyes met Adrien's. Song Bird smiled grimly, tapping his chest with a single gold-ringed finger. "I have a bit more darkness in me than the average person. I thought I would be able to channel Hawk Moth's power and control it, but his butterflies _feed_ off of the emotion they are designed to enhance, making them grow stronger." He took a deep breath. "His butterflies absorb negative emotions, I'm full of negative emotions… you get the picture."

Adrien eyed the blue and green feathers still stretching from the sides of his head like a crown. "You're still akumatized, too."

Song Bird touched the feathers, grimacing. "I've noticed. I… don't know how to revert back."

"Because you ate the butterfly, there's no real way to purify you completely," Marinette whispered, chewing on her lip. "You might… always be akumatized."

Song Bird shook his head, panic flashing through his eyes. "I can't be. Iraami - my kwami, he can't stay transformed that long! He would surely die!"

Plagg, finally done stuffing himself, zipped up to Song Bird. The boy leaned back, but the black kwami followed, staring into his kaleidoscope eyes. "You're Iraami's Miraculous Wielder? Hmph. Makes sense." Plagg turned around, crossing his little arms and shoving his nose into the air. "Let me guess; he's still upset about that feather?"

Song Bird's mouth opened and closed a couple of times.

Plagg rolled his eyes. "Figures. That's what you get, though, when you wave something fluffy and soft in front of a cat!"

"Plagg!" Adrien groaned.

"What did you do?" Marinette demanded, disapproving already.

"Iraami waved his tail in front of my face! Don't you know cats love feathers?" He glanced at Adrien and huffed. "Well, except for _you_. You're allergic."

Adrien rolled his eyes, crossing his arms. Marinette stomped her foot, angry. "You shouldn't play with Iraami's feathers like that, Plagg! What if you had really hurt him?"

"Chill, dude." Plagg glanced at Song Bird. "Iraami should be all right as long as we can separate you two. Where's your Miraculous? We'll take it off of you."

Song Bird frowned. "It's usually in my… hair…" However, his hand patted his loosened hair, and he paled. "I… don't know where it is."

Marinette approached Song Bird, her hand outstretched. "Maybe it's a part of - "

Reflexively, Adrien wrapped his arm around Marinette, pulling her against him tightly as he hissed at Song Bird.

Everyone stared at him in shock.

Slowly, he released his girlfriend. "I-I'm sorry," he murmured, embarrassed. "I think the illusion I was under had some lingering effects…"

In reality, he had been reminded of when Marinette had reached for him when he had collapsed in the mall; hesitant, yet concerned. He didn't want to give Song Bird a chance to alter her mind, either. He couldn't. If Marinette stopped loving him…

It would crush him.

Marinette touched his face, bringing him out of his glum thought process. "Are _you_ okay, Adrien?"

"Of course, bugaboo," he chirped, giving her a big grin as he wrapped his arms around her and touched his nose to hers. "After all, you're alive - no thanks to me. Oh, and you're safe - also no thanks."

Marinette rolled her eyes. "Thank you, kitty." She ruffled his hair, smirking. Turning back to Song Bird, she stared at his cloak with an odd expression. "What if…"

Song Bird watched them, staying quiet as they stared at him. "What?"

Adrien caught onto her thought process. "The cloak…"

"It looks like a plume of feathers," Marinette finished.

"It's the brooch!" Plagg screeched, dive bombing the clasp in the front.

Feathers shot outwards, and Plagg screeched as some of them nicked him. He fled behind Marinette's hair - now in their signature blue-black pigtails - and licked at a small cut on his paw.

Adrien bared his teeth, pushing Marinette behind him. "Plagg, claws out!"

"Wait, kid - whoooaaa!" Plagg was sucked into the ring, still in mid-sentence. Adrien grabbed the baton on his hip, twirling it in front of him defensively.

Song Bird winced as he tried to pull the cloak away from himself. Blood oozed down the feathers from where it was cutting into his neck and collarbone. "I-I'm sorry," he rasped as the feathers slowly receded. "I don't know what happened."

Adrien stopped spinning the baton, putting a protective arm around Marinette's waist. She touched his leather arm as she examined Song Bird's cloak. "I think it's protecting itself from being taken off."

Song Bird shook his head. "This has never happened before."

Adrien snorted, leaning against his extended baton while resting his hand on Marinette's hip. "Sure."

When she tried to pull away, he gripped a little tighter. Surprised, she glanced at him. "Are you feeling okay, kitty? You've been clingy ever since we got back…"

He stared into her bluebell eyes. Those beautiful eyes that, not even an hour earlier, had been dull and without their usual spark as she had been in another guy's arms. She winced as his claws dug into her waist. "Wh-what is it?"

"Do you like Zamir?" popped out of Adrien's mouth before he could stop it. He just felt so insecure, as if his princess would leave him at any moment and go after someone else. He glimpsed Song Bird's confused frown, but didn't understand why he would be confused.

"How could you think that?" Marinette demanded, propping her hand on her hip as her fingers wrap around his arm. "I like _you_. You know that. I confessed to you!"

He winced at the painful memory, his ears flattening against his head. After all, he had turned her down - for her alter ego. "Marinette, I - "

"No, Adrien. _You_ need to listen." His eyes dilate as his lips thinned into a line. His focus pinpointed on her as she gained a tone that she had never used with him before; harsh, criticizing, and demanding. "I don't know what had happened in that… that illusioned state, but it wasn't real. I wouldn't want to be with anyone other than you, kitty." Her gaze softened as her hand creeped up his arm to her shoulder. "Especially after I found out the _real_ you."

His vision wobbled. "Mari…" Crushing her to him, he buried his head into the side of her neck, taking in the wonderful smell of cookies and pomegranate. She must have baked Tikki's cookies fresh.

Song Bird cleared his throat, looking slightly awkward. "I'm sorry to bother you, but shouldn't we be going?"

"Yes, we should!" Marinette squeaked, a grin plastered on her face. "Tikki, spots on!"

"Yaaay!" Tikki cheered, happily zooming into the earrings.

Adrien grinned at Ladybug lazily, waggling his eyebrows. His tail flicked in anticipation. "Will I get scratches later?"

Ladybug pushed his face away, puffing out her cheeks - but smiling. "Let's see if you're a good kitty."

He pouted, but a swift kiss had him bouncing after her as Song Bird led the way to Hawk Moth's hideout.

* * *

Song Bird stared over Paris as he soared, the two heroes following after him over the rooftop. He was oddly relieved they both seemed to be fine and were even flirting, although when Adrien/Chat Noir had nearly attacked him in the bakery, it had gotten him thinking.

What did people see in their worst nightmares?

Twirling a feather, he wondered what it felt like to sink into that oblivion. Of course, it wouldn't work on him; he used his own blood to create Alter Mind, after all.

Glancing down, he saw Chat Noir following right next to Ladybug, even landing on the same railing as her - but never bumping into her or knocking her off balance. They were perfectly synchronized with one another.

 _His_ partner was an evil man who wanted to destroy them.

Song Bird gritted his teeth. He wouldn't allow Hawk Moth to destroy these two; they were _both_ his friends, and kwamis help him, he will protect them to his last breath.

Dropping onto the next roof, he took a deep breath to steady his emotions. He could feel the rage building up, alive and thrashing like a living creature. He could not afford for it to take over again, though; not yet. Not until he saw Hawk Moth again.

"Is this the place?" Chat asked, stopping next to Song Bird. He kept a healthy distance between them, making sure Ladybug was behind him.

 _Adrien is just allergic to feathers_ , Song Bird tried to rationalize, but he knew the truth. The boy was worried about him betraying them; smart thinking.

Song Bird shook his head. "I'm sorry; I had to take a break. I can only fly for so long before I have to recharge." He jumped to the next building, using the cloak to float onto the roof. "This way."

As they approached the Seine River again, he noticed Chat Noir slowly looking more and more confused. Glancing at the blonde-haired boy, Song Bird wondered if he would finally connect the dots before they made it to the house. It sure would make everything easier.

* * *

Adrien stared at the mansion, dumbfounded. He had slowly recognized the surroundings as they had approached, but it wasn't until he was standing in front of the long-forgotten gate of the mansion that he realized where they were.

When he was younger, he often spent summers with his mother here on the Seine River. After she had went missing four years ago, the house had fallen into disuse as his father couldn't handle being surrounded by her possessions.

His hands clenched, the claws of the suit biting through his gloves. Turning on Song Bird, he demanded, "Why are we here?"

"Hawk Moth is inside."

Adrien's head spun. Hawk Moth was inside his mother's old home. He felt like he was missing an important bit of information; was Song Bird holding something else back?

As they walked up the driveway, Adrien allowed his eyes to drift to the top tower of the mansion - because that's what it was. It was a small tower with a bell on the inside. He knew that the side facing the Seine River had a large window with circular shutters that retracted at the push of a button. His mother had loved the view of Paris, so Gabriel had designed the tower just for her.

Song Bird opened the front door and beckoned them inside. He led the way up the staircase, glancing back to make sure they were still following. "It's this way," he murmured in a low voice, but even that echoed in the empty foyer.

Ladybug stuck close to Adrien, bumping against his arm in occasion. He could tell she was concerned about him, but because of how sound echoed in the abandoned mansion, she did not ask him outright. Adrien's reassuring smile faltered as he realized where they were heading.

His mother's tower that overlooked Paris.

Song Bird paused at the door to the spiraling staircase. In a hushed voice, he said, "Are you ready?"

Adrien swallowed back his questions and nodded. Ladybug did the same.

The trio quietly padded up the stairs which dumped out into a large circular room. Along the far wall, a huge circular window overlooked the Seine River and Paris, its mechanical shutters fully opened.

"You have done well, Song Bird."

They froze, staring into the darkness with wide eyes. Adrien glanced between the vague form in the middle of the room and Song Bird, dread sinking in.

* * *

Song Bird paled underneath his mask at the looks both Ladybug and Chat Noir were giving him. "N-no! I didn't - he's twisting his words!"

Hawk Moth chuckled, approaching them. His hands were linked behind his back, and his sharp blue eyes contrasted against the grey of his mask. "Even if everything did not go as planned, you still served your purpose, Song Bird. Now…" He thrust one of his hands towards the white-haired boy. "Take their Miraculouses!"

Song Bird emitted a strangled gasp, falling onto his knees as he clutched his head. "N-no," he moaned, fighting the rising feeling to attack the two heroes.

"What did you do to him?" Chat Noir demanded, twirling his baton.

Hawk Moth laughed. "Have you already forgotten? He devoured one of my akumas. He is still under my control."

Ladybug and Chat Noir glanced at Song Bird. The fear and wariness in their gazes was nearly his undoing. "Defeat… him," he huffed, not moving from his collapsed position on the ground. "I… I'll be all right."

Hawk Moth took this opportunity of the heroes' momentary distraction to whip his cane towards Ladybug. It struck her midsection, knocking her out of breath. He followed it up with a quick jab at her arm, but she had caught on by now and leapt backwards.

"Marinette," Hawk Moth purred her name, smiling with the ghost of kindness. "Do you really think you can defeat me? Do you not remember those _secrets_ we had shared when you had been akumatized?"

Ladybug paled. "I-I wouldn't have told you anything," she exclaimed, whipping her yo-yo out. "You're just trying to trick me!"

"You had told me 'patience is a virtue,'" he said smoothly, and something about those words rang in Ladybug's ears. "That the reason why I had always failed was because I had rushed to acquire your Miraculouses. So… I took my time with my plans."

"Ladybug?" Chat Noir whispered, unsure.

Ladybug stood stock still, her eyes wide as she stared at Hawk Moth.

"Don't listen to him!" Chat Noir spat out. "He's manipulating you!"

Hawk Moth's grin only widened as he stared at Ladybug's face. "Oh? Might it be that you are remembering, _Lady Heartless_?"

"No!" Ladybug clutched her head, wincing as if she had been dealt a physical blow. "I-I don't know what you're talking about!"

Chat charged forward, swinging his baton in a practiced fencing move. Hawk Moth batted him aside effortlessly, sparing the fallen boy with nothing more than an irritated glance. "My dear Marinette, don't you see?" he continued, grinning triumphantly. "You have been unknowingly playing along with my plans. Your akumatized state had only been a deeper version of yourself - a version of yourself you had unlocked."

Ladybug gritted her teeth, clenching her yo-yo. "I'm nothing like I was then!" she exclaimed, swinging out her yo-yo to entrap Hawk Moth.

His staff's knobbed edge slammed into her forearm, and an audible _crack_ echoed through the domed room.

Crying out in pain, Ladybug fell to her knees. She cradled her broken arm, a few tears slipping down her cheeks as her breath whooshed in and out.

Hawk Moth tossed aside the trapping string of the now limp yo-yo, approaching the fallen heroine with a sick grin on his face. "I will take your Miraculous, now, and show you how to _truly_ use it."

Chat Noir rammed into Hawk Moth, pushing him over. Hawk Moth desperately tried to keep Chat's claws away from his face, startled at the raw fury in the boy's face. His staff gained deep gouges from the boy's claws. Finally finding some leverage, he kicked the hero off of himself.

Chat landed on all four, snarling like a feline. Even the leather tail - not real - was whipping around agitatedly like a real appendage, and his eyes glowed a brilliant green. Chat stabbed a claw into his hand, drawing blood as he gripped his baton tightly. "Sunder," he snarled, launching towards Hawk Moth with incomprehensible speed.

Unable to get away this time, Hawk Moth blocked the move with his baton. His eyes widened in shock as the staff vibrated in his hands before shattering like glass. He staggered backwards, glaring at Chat Noir.

"You are more of a threat than I anticipated, Chat Noir," he murmured, sinking into a defensive posture.

Chat straightened up, his head tilted to the side. His baton lost the sickly green glow, although the crazed look in his eyes did not abate. "I will make you pay for hurting Ladybug."

Hawk Moth narrowed his eyes. "She is not even yours, you stupid boy. Her civilian self is dating - "

"That doesn't matter!" Chat delivered a fast roundhouse; apparently, his speed hadn't been from the Sunder ability but was his own power. "You still hurt her!"

Hawk Moth blocked all of the boy's rage-fuelled attacks despite the speed. Narrowing his eyes, he saw an opening and kicked, knocking the boy to the ground. Hawk Moth grabbed Chat's ankle, pulling it up and kicking his knee.

Chat screamed as his leg broke.

As Chat gasped and whimpered in pain, Hawk Moth leaned over and snatched his hand. However, a black-spotted red yo-yo knocked weakly into his hand, drawing his attention away from the injured hero.

Ladybug was sitting upright, her broken right arm cradled against her side. Her left hand was outstretched, grasping the end of the yo-yo's string.

"You insolent girl," Hawk Moth snarled, stalking over and grabbing her by one of her pigtails. "You don't deserve your Miraculous; you don't even know how to use it properly!"

Ladybug forced a pained smile onto her face. "You… wouldn't know how to, either," she gasped. "Your heart… is too corrupted."

Hawk Moth hissed as something stabbed into his leg. Looking down, he saw one of Song Bird's bloodied feathers buried deep into his calf.

Staggering backwards, Hawk Moth fought the pull of Song Bird's Alter Mind spell. "You… will pay for this…" he managed to get out, collapsing near Chat Noir.

Chat struggled to sit up, sucking in his breath as his leg screamed at him. Tears pricking his eyes, he reached over and yanked off the brooch on Hawk Moth's vest.

An ugly purple cloud much like that of an akumatized victim encased Hawk Moth as a little lavender kwami popped out of the brooch, looking the worse for wear. "Th-thank you," it whispered, collapsing on the chest of the former Hawk Moth. The purple mist dissipated, revealing the true identity of the evil mastermind behind all of their pain and suffering.

Gabriel Agreste.

* * *

 _A/N: Dun dun duuuuun... huge reveal. Well, not really, since a lot of people think Gabriel is Hawk Moth (myself included)._

 _So I was rereading my earlier chapters and I realized I spelled Hawk Moth as Hawkmoth a couple of times. I'll have to reboot this fanfic later on so I can fix that... sorry if any of you caught my slips in present tense, by the way! I'll be fixing those, as well. I try to catch them all (yes, a Pokemon reference), but some just slip by me all ninja style..._

 _My offer from the last post still stands! In celebration of hitting 100 reviews, if you have any questions for me, shoot them my way in a PM or as a review! I'll answer in the next post._


	39. Forgotten Memories

_A/N: I decided to go ahead and post the final two chapters now since this morning is my last "calm" day. Things are going to be getting chaotic soon..._

 _Enjoy! :3_

* * *

Alliances: Part Two

"Dad?" Chat Noir whispered, stunned. The butterfly brooch tumbled from his fingers, bouncing over to the circular window. "No… no way…"

Ladybug stared at the famous fashion designer in shock, as well. Only Song Bird was unaffected by this revelation. Glancing between them sympathetically, he murmured, "He never knew he was fighting against his son. I'm pretty sure he would have went about this a lot differently if he had."

"W-we have to help him," Chat exclaimed as his ring beeped out the remaining seconds of his transformation. "He's - he's - "

Ladybug collapsed next to him, resting her head on his shoulder. "Let's go, Chat."

"But…"

"We can call the ambulance, but we need to leave. Lucky Charm!" A leg brace fell into her one good hand. She smiled grimly. "Song Bird, I may need your help."

They barely made it out before the authorities arrived. Ladybug's arm needed to be splinted and Song Bird practically had to carry Chat Noir, but eventually, they made it back to the abandoned school.

Soon, Marinette and Adrien were taking stock of their wounds outside of the suits while Song Bird fidgeted nearby.

Marinette leaned back, a fine layer of sweat beading her face. "We'll have to come up with a good excuse for the broken arm and leg…"

"You fell from the building," Song Bird supplied, tugging absently on his cloak. "If you say you tried to stop yourself with your arm and he kept his leg too straight, then it should work."

Marinette nodded, closing her eyes. "Thank you for helping us, Song Bird. If you hadn't - "

"If I hadn't been there, none of this would have happened," Song Bird interrupted her, looking disgusted with himself. "I've ruined so many lives in just one day…"

Marinette was shaking her head when Adrien finally looked up. "Then make up for it."

They both stare at his fierce gaze. "H-how?" Song Bird asked, confused.

"Help us protect this city."

Even Marinette was surprised. "But Adrien, the people of Paris probably already know it was Song Bird who caused - "

"We'll introduce him, then," Adrien interjected, setting his jaw. "We'll have Alya do an interview, and we'll tell everyone that he was under Hawk Moth's control."

Song Bird shook his head. "You don't even know me, yet you… you would do that?"

Adrien smiled grimly. "That's the catch. We need to know your real identity, Song Bird. Who are you?"

Song Bird stared at Adrien, his face expressionless. Taking a deep breath, he wrapped his fingers around the clasp of his cloak. Feathers jabbed into his hand, trying to keep him from taking it off.

"Song, you shouldn't - " Marinette started, but Adrien held up a hand.

Song Bird gritted his teeth, ignoring the blood flowing freely down his hands as he tore the clasp off. The cloak fell to the ground, disintegrating until all that remained was a hairpiece designed like that of a plume of peacock feathers and a colorful gasping kwami.

An odd ripple went over Song Bird's features. He gasped in pain, doubling over as his Miraculous form faded away. His hair returned to the dark brown that they had originally met him with, and the gold accessories vanished to reveal smooth skin. He was dressed quite nicely, and when he glanced at them with wary eyes -

"Zamir?!" Adrien gasped, his eyes widening as he momentarily forgot about his leg and jerked in surprise. He hissed as his broken appendage reminded him it couldn't make those sharp movements quite yet. "What - "

Marinette remained silent. She stared at Zamir in slight shock, but things clicked together in her mind. It was as if the knowledge of his true identity had been the last piece of the puzzle.

"I'm sorry," Zamir whispered, unable to look at them now. "I… I don't know how to express how terribly I feel about…"

"Zamir."

Both of the boys looked at Marinette. Adrien in growing fear, Zamir in guarded wariness.

Marinette smiled at him tiredly. The pain from her arm tinted her expression, but her eyes were soft. "The best way to express the way you feel is by doing something about it. No one will know how much you actually care unless you show it."

Tikki, who had been munching on an emergency stash of cookies nearby, raised her head and nodded at Marinette's words. "Everyone might be angry at first, but if you show them you're willing to fix what you did wrong, then they really can't do anything about it."

Adrien visibly relaxed, even giving his girlfriend a smile. "She's right, Zamir. And what I said earlier still stands: Help us protect Paris."

Zamir slowly nodded. "I-I'll try."

* * *

Adrien slumped in the chair, staring at the pale hand on the stark hospital sheets. He couldn't bring his gaze up to the grey-haired man lying motionless on the bed.

Gabriel Agreste had been admitted for head trauma, though Adrien knew the real reason behind it. The man had been stabbed with one of Song Bird's Alter Mind feathers and had yet to wake up from it.

A cool, comforting hand rubbed over his shoulder. Looking up, he was caught in the gaze of twin bluebell eyes as Marinette glanced between him and his father in concern. Her left arm was in a plain cast. "He'll wake up," she reassured him.

She had been saying that for the last five days.

Adrien nodded, returning his gaze to the motionless hand. The same hand that had restrained him and broken his leg. The same hand that had picked out his outfit out of concern for his son's first day of school. The same hand that had held countless akuma and corrupted people's hopes and dreams. The same hand that had praised him whenever he did something superbly well. The same hand that had tried to destroy Marinette.

The fingers twitched.

Adrien's eyes widened. Lunging forward, he grabbed the hand as he stared into his father's face. "Father…?" he questioned, holding his breath.

Two ice blue eyes gazed at him in dazed confusion. "Adrien? Where am I?"

Adrien's vision blurred. "You're in the hospital. You-you - "

Gabriel squeezed his fingers. "Where's your mother? Is she nearby?"

Adrien froze. Even Marinette, who was standing quietly off to the side, inhaled sharply at this.

"Dad, she…" Adrien swallowed. "She disappeared, remember? She disappeared four years ago."

Gabriel's frown only deepened as he tried to blink away the daze. He seemed to be struggling to remember something. "I had the oddest dream that I had hurt you…" He noticed the leg brace on Adrien then, and alarm flicked across his gaze. "Did I…?"

Adrien shook his head automatically. "That's not important right now, Father. What-what's the last thing you remember?"

He mulled over it longer than Adrien had ever seen the rigid man think about anything. Finally, he said haltingly, "I… had received a mysterious gift. I didn't know who it was from, but it was addressed to me. Quite honestly, I thought it was from Elaine."

Adrien waited as Gabriel paused again, letting the knowledge of Elaine's disappearance sink in once again. He haltingly continued. "I-I opened it and it was a brooch. I found it so odd she would give me something like that, but I… put it on? Yes, I put it on…" His brow furrowed. "I don't remember what happened after that. Did I pass out?"

Tears slipped down Adrien's face. "No," Adrien whispered hoarsely as he sank into the chair again. Marinette squeezed his shoulder reassuringly. "No, you didn't pass out, Dad."

Gabriel glanced at Marinette, still confused. Adrien tensed, but all he did was ask, "Who are you?"

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng," she introduced herself, smiling worriedly at the famous fashion designer. "I've been Adrien's classmate for the past three years. I'm his… girlfriend."

Adrien covered her hand with his at the sounds of her hesitation. He knew the reason behind it; originally, his father had been extremely picky on who he hung out with. For a while, Gabriel hadn't even wanted his son to see his best friend, Nino.

Gabriel's eyes widened at this news. He scrutinized Adrien, examining every feature of his son. "You look so much older… how…"

"I'm turning seventeen soon, Father," Adrien whispered, still unable to believe what was happening.

Gabriel's eyes widened and his mouth dropped open. "I… have amnesia…"

Adrien's eyes dropped to the edge of the bed as he nodded. He could no longer look at his father. It hurt too much; all of those years of neglect, dissatisfaction, and disapproval - gone from his father's memories. How come he was the only one to forget?

"I'm sorry."

Adrien's eyes flew up, surprised at his father's words. On his face was an unfamiliar expression - or, at the very least, one Adrien hadn't seen since his mother had disappeared. Anguish, shame, and sadness.

"What?" Adrien reflexively said, stunned.

Gabriel looked even more distraught. "Why do you look so surprised, Adrien? Did I… treat you badly?"

Suddenly, Adrien felt the overwhelming urge to tell his father _everything_. To tell him how he had confined him to the house; how he had smothered his son; how he had been consumed by obtaining something so trivial when compared to what was in front of him; how he had taken advantage of hundreds of people's negative emotions and nearly destroyed his family in the process.

"It's all right, Dad." Adrien gave his father a forced yet bright smile. "We.. we can start over."

* * *

Alya directed Nino's hands, angling the phone to her liking. "Just hold it like that and press the button on the right, okay?"

Nino rolled his eyes. "I know how to use a phone, Alya."

Alya stepped back, glancing over her shoulder at the three people waiting. "Are you ready?"

Ladybug and Chat Noir nodded. Ladybug was sitting down, her arm in a black polka-dot red cast while Chat supported himself on a green-edged crutch. His leg was encased in a black brace. Song Bird fidgeted between them, looking the most nervous out of all three of the Miraculous Wielders; his brown hair was pulled back into its normal ponytail, but it was streaked with white strands. His eyes had a faint ring of red around them.

"I-it won't take long, right?" Song Bird asked, linking his fingers together to keep from playing with a feather. He could feel the incessant darkness building up in him.

Chat patted his back reassuringly. "We'll make it quick. Nino, start it up."

"You got it, dude," the young DJ drawled, grinning as he hit the recording button.

"This is Alya, coming live to you today." Alya stood in the main frame of the camera, hiding the three individuals behind her as she started the live feed. "In light of recent events, our heroes, Ladybug and Chat Noir, have given me permission to do this personal interview with them. They even brought a guest."

Alya shifted out of the way, revealing the three teens. Ladybug and Chat Noir smiled into the camera while Song Bird stared at the ground. Ladybug spoke first.

"In these past few days, Paris has gone through a tragic incident involving the deaths and suicides of hundreds of people, and the injuries of thousands more. While these actions cannot be reversed, I can assure you that you no longer have to live in fear; the chance of something like that happening again is near impossible."

"From our last talk, Ladybug, you had told me that Song Bird was dangerous. However, he's standing here now. What changed?" Alya asked, already starting down her prewritten questions.

Chat Noir patted Song Bird's shoulder. "Song Bird had been under Hawk Moth's control. However, Hawk Moth has been neutralized and Song Bird is no longer under his control. Because of what had happened on the bridge - "

"About that, how do we know we can't be afraid of Song Bird?" Alya interrupted, true to her reporter self.

"Song Bird is devastated about what had happened," Ladybug murmured, glancing up at the silent, brooding boy. "He has told us repeatedly that he wants to repay Paris in whatever way he can."

"How can we be sure he won't turn on Paris again once you let him out of your sight?"

"Because if he does, we'll take him down again." Chat's calm answer made Song Bird flinch and rub his neck where the faint outlines of a bruise were fading away. "But we also believe in second chances."

"And what do you have to say about this, Song Bird?"

Song Bird glanced into the camera at this direct question. He looked conflicted, torn between two different decisions. "I… I want to help Paris," he whispered. "Whether that means putting me behind bars or working with the heroes of this city, I don't care how I do it. I just don't want to cause any more pain and suffering."

"Then why not turn yourself over to the police?"

Chat Noir's claws bit into Song Bird's shoulder as he glared into the camera. "Song Bird has every right to protect this city. His actions before had been under Hawk Moth's influence, and when he had broken free of it, he had _helped_ us take down Hawk Moth. Because of this, both Ladybug and I are willing to take full responsibility of Song Bird's actions from here on out. If he does something wrong, then we go down with him."

Song Bird winced at this, but didn't object.

Alya was silent for a moment. Even though she had expected the answer, she hadn't been prepared for the vehemence behind Chat's words. Her next question was a bit shaky.

"A-and what about Hawk Moth? Will he ever return? What happened to him?"

Ladybug spoke up as Chat Noir glanced away from the camera. "Hawk Moth lost his memories of everything he had done once we had taken the brooch from him. Because of this, we have decided not to reveal his identity and allow him to rebuild the family ties he had severed when he had been consumed as Hawk Moth. We are planning to keep the brooch safe and locked away, out of other's hands."

Alya stepped back into the camera's frame, still looking a bit shaken. "And there you have it, guys. From the words of the heroes themselves: Paris is safe and has an extra guardian angel to help us out. Stay tuned for more updates."

Nino clicked off the phone, lowering it to stare at Chat Noir with wide eyes. "Dude, are you okay?"

Chat nodded, closing his eyes. "I need more pain meds. I think it's running out."

Ladybug leapt to her feet, concerned. "You should have said something! Here, sit down."

Chat shook his head, hobbling to the door. "I need to see my father." He threw a wry smile over his shoulder. "He wanted to have lunch with me."

Once Chat Noir was gone, Alya turned to Ladybug. "You said something about the brooch. Where is it, anyway?"

Ladybug looked a little uncomfortable at this. "To be honest, Alya, we actually don't have it right now. It's still in the building where we had found Hawk Moth, but there have been too many police officers around there for us to retrieve it without being noticed…"

Alya's eyes bulged. "You mean you lied on camera?!" She squeaked. "But-but you're horrible at lying!"

Ladybug just smiled at Alya. Realizing her mistake, the reporter grumbled to herself as she fiddled with her phone, already responding to people's questions on the Ladyblog.

Nino eyed Song Bird speculatively. "Actually, couldn't Song Bird do it?" When they all just stared at him, he shrugged. "Dude, you want to help Paris, right? This could be the start. Then Alya could post that you were the one who had actually recovered the Miraculous."

Alya's eyes glimmered. "Yeah! Perfect idea, Nino! I love you!" She gave her boyfriend a loud kiss on the cheek, wrapping her arms around his neck. He laughed, peeling her off of him.

Song Bird mulled over this. "Actually… that's not a bad idea." He nodded. "I'll do it."

"Song Bird - " Ladybug started, but he shook his head.

"Nino is right. I have to start somewhere." He walked towards the door. "I'll go there tonight."

* * *

Song Bird slipped into the large circular room. Luckily, he hadn't been caught by any of the police on patrol - yet. He was hoping he could utilize the large window inside the room for his escape so he didn't have to slip back out.

As he scoured the floor, he remembered the brooch had fallen and rolled near the window. However, try as hard as he could, he couldn't find it. Based off of the police's reports, they hadn't found anything, either.

Which meant only one thing: someone else had it.

"No, no, no…" he moaned softly, sinking to his knees underneath the moonlight streaming in through the open window. "This can't be happening…"

He had failed his first mission.

* * *

 _A/N: Poor Zamir. He thinks he's a failure._

 _As for Sage McGavin's comment, "is it still child abuse if you don't know it's your child?" I... would think so? Child abuse is still child abuse... and in my opinion, Gabriel had a lot of mental child abuse stacked up against him already. If you can't tell, I've never liked him. Ever. In fact, I sniggered when he lost his memory. I thought, "Karma's a witch, you idiot."_

 _I know. I'm a terrible person. But... I don't like mean people._

 _Anywho... I hope you all enjoyed Forgotten Memories! The next chapter will be the last (and will lead into the second series, Buried Traits)._


	40. Flutter (Epilogue)

Alliances: Part Three

Epilogue

Seraphina nearly fell through the door, dragging her two suitcases behind her as her backpack and purse fell off of her shoulders. Her platinum blonde hair was pulled roughly into a ponytail, and her moss green eyes glittered brightly. "Mom, I'm home!"

Evangeline popped her head out from around the corner, her mousy brown hair a mess. "Oh, Seraphina! Did the bus just drop you off?"

Seraphina nodded, grinning. "Paris was amazing, Mom! I wish I could live there. Everyone was so nice, too!"

Evangeline smiled sweetly. "That's so wonderful, sweetie. Care to explain what you were doing inside an abandoned home, though?"

Seraphina froze on her way to her room. "What?"

"Don't try to play innocent." Evangeline crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow at her daughter. "The school called and said you had disappeared a few nights after you had arrived, and when you came back, everyone was boasting about going into some abandoned house surrounded by the police. Why?"

Seraphina blushed. "I-it was just a stupid dare! I didn't get hurt or caught, though!"

Evangeline sighed, pulling a bent letter out of her pocket. "The school sent this."

Seraphina didn't even need to see what it said. She had been expelled enough in the past four years to know what it was; Seraphina was beginning to believe she would experience all of the United States schools before she graduated. Her vision blurred as she bit her lip. "I'm sorry."

Evangeline shoved it back into her pocket. "It was perfect timing, actually. I just got a new job." She smiled. "You won't _believe_ where."

Seraphina peeked from underneath her hair. "Where…?"

"Paris."

Seraphina's eyes widened. She squealed, but quickly clapped her hands over her mouth. "Oh my gosh, really?!"

Evangeline nodded, chuckling. "This job will be good for us, sweetie. They're even willing to help you find a school."

Seraphina fist-pumped the air. "Oh, my gosh! I'm going to Paris again!" She suddenly looked a little ashamed. "I mean, I'm sorry about getting expelled again, but…"

Evangeline laughed at her daughter's antics. "It's something new! We've never lived abroad before. It will be exciting."

"Oh. Em. Gee. Mom. I need to show you this, then!" Seraphina rushed over to the counter, yanking out her computer and turning it on. She pulled up the internet and showed her mother the Ladyblog, a famous website popular in Paris. "These are the heroes of Paris! They're the ones that had saved it right before I had arrived! So cool, right?! I mean, superheroes are _real_!"

Evangeline smiled softly as her daughter brought up the French website. However, her smile faltered slightly as she saw the picture of the three Miraculous Wielders.

Seraphina rambled on, not noticing her mother's concerned look. "They're named after animals, too. Like, one is Chat Noir, which means Black Cat! And…" Seraphina listed off the other two, translating the French words into English needlessly; after all, her mother knew French, as well.

Chuckling, Evangeline rubbed her daughter's back. "Go ahead and start packing; we're heading out in a few weeks."

Squealing excitedly, Seraphina took off towards her room.

Evangeline gave the Ladyblog one last glance before closing the screen. "They're just kids," she murmured to herself, frowning in concern.

* * *

Seraphina dropped her bag off in her room, humming happily to herself as she quickly changed out of her travel clothes. Taking a quick shower, she returned to find something glinting on her floor.

"Whoops," she muttered. It must have fallen out when her bag had tipped over. Picking it up, she took a better look at the brooch.

When she had went into the house with her classmates, she had somehow or another managed to split off from them and had ended up in a circular room overlooking the Parisian night skyline. The brooch had glinted next to the window, and when she had picked it up, it had glimmered like fairy wings.

Now was no different. It glinted lavender and gold, making her think of dreams and wishes coming true. Her heart felt so full while holding it; she felt like she could do anything. Grinning, she pinned it onto her shirt.

A bright lavender light flashed in front of her, and she squinted her eyes shut in surprise. When she opened them again, a strange little creature with butterfly wings floated in front of her, looking weak and miserable before slowly floating to the ground.

She knelt down as the creature opened its eyes to stare at her. Whatever it was, it was obviously exhausted and hungry. Without thinking, she asked, "Can I help you?"

She instantly berated herself. Of course the little creature couldn't talk.

"Fruit," it rasped in French.

For a few seconds, Seraphina couldn't respond. Suddenly, she found herself racing down the stairs to the counter, grabbing a banana and tossing over her shoulder, "Got hungry!"

The creature hadn't moved at all while she had been gone. It slowly raised up at the sight of the banana, but it just thudded back onto the floor. Seraphina carefully peeled the banana and set it next to the odd creature.

A few moments passed in silence as it munched on the banana and Seraphina just sat and tried to comprehend what was happening. Finally, she asked in English, "What _are_ you?"

"A kwami," it said around a mouthful of banana. It swallowed, emitting a satisfied sound. Somehow or another, the tiny thing had managed to put away over half of the fruit that was three times its size.

Thinking that was an unfamiliar French word, Seraphina tilted her head to the side. "What is a… kwami?" She asked in French.

"We're supposed to help those who wield us do good in the world," it explained in French, its voice not as hoarse anymore. "I am Nooroo."

Seraphina stared at Nooroo. "Can I call you Papi? It's short for Papillon." She couldn't consider calling this adorable creature something like Nooroo; no, she would rather use a shortened version of the word 'butterfly' in the language it was obviously more used to.

Nooroo - no, Papi nodded, sitting back. It seemed a lot more content now. It glanced around the room, curious. "Where are we?"

"Colorado in the U.S.! This is my room." At Papi's wide eyes, Seraphina quickly reassured it, "We're actually moving to Paris, so I can find your previous owner and - "

"No!" Papi trembled, shrinking against the backpack. "I… I don't want to be given back. Please don't do that."

Shocked, Seraphina stared at the little creature. "Okay," she finally said, sitting down in front of it. "So… what happened?"

Papi told her about its previous wielder, Hawk Moth, and what he had done. Distraught, it even told the girl about the other Miraculous wielders and how it hoped they would help fix everything now that it was gone.

Seraphina's head spun. "Wait, wait. So… you're telling me kwami grant normal people superhero powers?"

Papi nodded warily, slowly backing up. "Yes, but… I never wanted to be paired up with someone again since my last one…"

Seraphina clapped her hands together. "Oh, but I'll be good! I promise! I just think it's so cool!"

Papi slowly relaxed. "You're so nice, Seraphina."

Seraphina blushed. "Thank you, Papi." She hesitated before holding out her finger. "Friends…?"

"Friends!" Papi exclaimed excitedly, hugging the finger. Seraphina felt a zing race up her arm from where Papi had touched it, but she barely even noticed it. She grinned at her new friend, excited.

* * *

 _A/N: Just so everyone knows,_ **this is not the end.** _I will be continuing the story under a new series name called "Buried Traits." Keep an eye out for it! I'm going to plot it all out first before I start posting, so it might be a few weeks before I get the first post up._

 _I hoped you all liked "Forgotten Memories" and that you will like "Buried Traits" just as much! BT will have more original content in it, and it will be focused more on Zamir's and Seraphina's story (much like how I had written Adrien and Marinette in FM)._

 _I look forward to seeing you later! Enjoy!_

 _Love, Max_

 _Edit: In response to MiraculousFanForever's comment, I wanted to add that the new series "Buried Traits" WILL have Adrien and Marinette in it, along with their alter egos, Chat Noir and Ladybug... and, whenever those two are around, you know there will be moments. ;)_


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